


The Secret World of Yamaguchi

by frootjuiceg



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Character Study, Complete, Depression, Developing Relationship, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Studio Ghibli, Literal Sleeping Together, Loneliness, M/M, Platonic Romance, References to Depression, Relationship Study, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Swearing, The Secret World Of Arrietty AU, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, semi open ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:56:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28879830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frootjuiceg/pseuds/frootjuiceg
Summary: Kei spent most of this time in his room, but had never noticed the misplaced items, the disappearing food crumbs or the rustling inside the walls.Not until one stormy night in late May, when he woke up and saw a small human, only the height of a pencil, standing on his windowsill.❁❁❁Tadashi was a borrower. He had never cared about humans that much, but had learned to live among them, unseen and hidden from their eyes.But since the the latest residents of the house moved away and a family of a mother and two sons moved in, he found himself fascinated by a human, for the first time in his life.Or, The Secret World of Arrietty AU with human!Tsukishima and borrower!Yamaguchi.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 25
Kudos: 65





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my own version of the Ghibli Film The Secret World of Arrietty, staring Yamaguchi as a borrower and Tsukishima as a human.
> 
> I don’t think you need to have seen the movie to understand this if, other than that there are these small creatures called Borrowers who live inside people’s houses.  
> I’ll be using some of the plot points of the movie, but otherwise the plot is really different and made to fit the Haikyuu universe :)
> 
> Already, I want you to notice that I won't make the relationship between Tsukishima and Yamaguchi romantic per say, because I don't think it would fit the story or be believable. BUT without spoiling, they will have a very special bond and a soulmate-type of love for each other as the story progresses ;) So be prepared for fluff!!
> 
> Notice that there are WARNINGS for depression and other related topics that'll be discussed in the story :)
> 
> So, I wrote this fic about two boys who are kind of lost in their own worlds, only to find trust and happiness through each other, in a place and person they never expected to!  
> Enjoy! <3

Kei could never forget that summer.

It was the summer after his first year at the Karasuno High School, the school year just about to end and the last games of the summer volleyball tournament were still ahead for the Karasuno team.

Kei hated it. He hated the school, he hated volleyball and all his teammates, he hated his brother and barely stood his family and hated being at home, but not more than he hated being anywhere else. But usually, he just hated himself more than any other thing.

Kei’s family had moved into Miyagi two years ago. He had not made any friends (just like in his last school), didn’t have hobbies beside volleyball (which he had basically been forced to continue in high school) and barely left his room when at home.

Kei had been in Miyagi for two years and spent most of this time in his room, but had never noticed the misplaced items, the disappearing food crumbs or the rustling inside the walls.

Not until one stormy night in late May, when he woke up and saw a small human, only the height of a pencil, standing on his windowsill.

❁❁❁

Tadashi was a borrower. He had never cared about humans that much, but had learned to live among them, unseen and hidden from their eyes. But he couldn’t say he liked them either.

Humans had been the reason he had become separated from his family 4 years ago. They had needed to move from Tadashi’s childhood home but on the night of the move, Tadashi had lost his parents into the world that was much bigger than them. The two families that had lived together until then had traveled in the night, but after a wobbly, drunk human had seen them and started following them into the bushes, Tadashi and Yachi were the only one’s that had stayed hidden.

And when they got out of their hiding place, neither of their families were nowhere to be found.

That’s why they had started from scratch and found an old house in the new neighborhood where they had never been before. There was a big garden for food and herbs and hollow walls for traveling inside the house. They had been just 12 years old then, but they had already made a nice home for just the two of them in the attic of the house.

And when the latest residents of the house, an old quiet couple, moved away and a family with a mother and two sons moved in, his and Yachi’s life didn’t change much. The house was livelier, _yes_ , they had fewer chances to explore and borrow without being seen by the much younger and more attentive eyes, but other than that their life was peaceful and ordinary, even after the tragedy they had faced 4 years prior.

Well, _one other thing_ had changed. Tadashi had found himself fascinated by a human, for the first time in his life.

Tadashi was the one usually searching and exploring the house for food and utilities. Yachi was too scared (and too clumsy) to join him and he preferred that. Tadashi was sometimes a bit careless on his quests, having had a handful of close calls with the new family of the house, and he couldn’t believe Yachi would be too happy about that.

But, well, he and Yachi were very different.

She loved to explore the attic, though, where the humans rarely came. She always took Tadashi to see the old items she found there; clothes, books and decorations. She was the handy one of them (still not saved from occasional scratches), she made their clothes and furniture, while Tadashi made sure they had food and knew how to get and prepare it for them. Tadashi loved the blond-haired girl liked a sibling and a best friend. They basically had been siblings, while they were both the only child’s of the two borrower families that had lived in the same house.

Even if they didn’t have their families any more (or not for now), they had always had each other.

So, Tadashi had never found a reason to have anything to do with the humans living in the same house. He only traveled inside the house by night or when the family was away. The garden he visited almost every day, but always when he was alone there.

But during his many quests, journeys and adventures inside the house, he had gotten glimpses of the humans inhabiting it, caught some of their conversations and learned their habits.

The only woman of the family, Mr. Tsukishima or “Mom” had long brown hair and a kind voice that sign-songed around the house. She seemed like a good mother to her two boys, but she spent most of her time in the kitchen, always in Tadashi’s way. Luckily though, she was the one with the most regular schedule in the house. She didn’t leave for work, but she went out of the house at least three times a week and that’s when Tadashi knew that the food cabinets would again be filled with new items to borrow. She seemed very friendly, sometimes even leaving some food out in the kitchen, though probably just out of thoughtlessness. Tadashi thought she looked like a human that wouldn’t try to capture borrowers if she ever saw them.

The older brother, “Niichan” or “Akiteru”, was the most annoying. He was always talking so loud that it echoed into their small home in the attic and he played music loudly in his room. On top of that, he was unpredictable: Akiteru sometimes stayed up late into the night, when Yamaguchi tried to travel around the house, he left things where they weren’t supposed to be and he often spent time at home, ruining Tadashi’s plans. _Though_ he was good at cheering his family up and he took care of the family’s dog, but other than that Tadashi didn’t like Akiteru that much.

The youngest of the family, “Kei” or “brat” called by his older brother, the blond-haired boy that looked the same age as Tadashi, he was the most _interesting_ of the family.

The reason was that he barely did anything. He left for school and came back home in the evening, only staying in his room, eating, taking a shower and going to bed. The next day would always be the same. The pattern was only broken by the rare times he went somewhere with a big bag full of clothes on the weekends, always returning home sweaty and tired, or the times when his brother had teased him one too many times and the two argued over silly things like something called “volleyball”. The blond was a quiet boy, always in his own world and alone, and never noticing how Tadashi sneaked around his room to look for things.

But sometimes Tadashi went to the room to just watch and observe him. The boy’s eyes were always hidden behind the black-rimmed eyeglasses and his bright blond hair inside his hoodie. When the sun would shine through the boy’s window just right, it would light up the boy’s pale skin and hair and Tadashi was always fascinated to see his face more clearly, and it almost always looked sad.

Tadashi had never liked humans; his family had told enough horror stories to know that. But he still found himself with an irresistible desire to get to know that boy, as lost in this world as Tadashi sometimes was.

“Yamaguchi, look what I found!” Yachi burst into their kitchen from her latest search around the attic, while Tadashi had been making them some soup from herbs and water.

Their small house was inside the wall, hidden under some wool and boards. They had collected most of the building material from the stuff the old couple that had left in the attic, ready to be thrown away. It had been a challenge to make a home for the borrowers, having to build a collector for rainwater that they drank, using matches and oil for cooking and to make an elevator of sorts, from yarn and a woven basket to move inside the walls.

Tadashi mostly moved from room to the other through the holes in the walls or ceiling of the old house. The window of the attic was easy to open just so slightly he could slide on the tree and into the garden. The window was also his favorite place, where he could observe the family in the garden in peace and admire the plants and flowers and the nature he loved.

But today it had been raining and the sky was dark. They had light in their house from the fireplace in the kitchen and the few gas lamps Yachi had made them, but these days Tadashi rarely left their home, just because the family was inside the house too and the darkness made it harder to navigate.

“I found this fabric that could be perfect for your wings! It was on the bottom of the children’s clothes box. It’s tight and durable enough, I think. I should be worth the try.” Yachi laid out the white fabric on the table and started measuring it.

Yachi was always asking for new inventions she could make for him and their home. Most of their possessions had been pieced together from all kinds of things found in the attic, but every once in a while, Tadashi had to fetch the last missing pieces from inside the house.

As long as he could remember, he had asked Yachi to make him wings. _Well_ , it was more like a hang-glider that he could use to move silently inside and outside the house and to stay away from the floor where he could be stepped on.

More important than that, Tadashi just wanted to fly. He wanted to be unreachable, above the trees, humans and houses where no one could catch him. He wanted to explore the world with his new freedom from gravity and height, outside the borders of the house or the yard. It was also his best chance to go look for his family someday.

To Yachi the wings were just a new invention that she was excited to make. Tadashi hadn't mentioned all the other, more dangerous uses for it outside the house.

“This could work, Yama!” She squealed as she fetched her small blade and began sketching out and cutting the fabric.

“You need to make sure I can control it somehow, too. It’d be big trouble if I’d crash it into a human or the walls.” Tadashi continued stirring the soup. He always felt a bit grumpy on the rainy days when he wasn’t able to journey through the house.

“It’ll be totally fine, I’ll come up with something. Inside the house there won’t be wind to take you off course, at least. You better watch out for open windows though!” She shouted from the hallway as she took the fabric into her little workshop.

The thought of his wings finally being finished lit up a hope in Tadashi. He loved his life as a borrower, but he wanted to do more than just look for used things and food to get them through a few days. He wanted to travel and meet other borrowers who had trouble in their lives and wanted to help them find new homes or to connect with their loved ones. That’s why it was quite suffocating, just staying put with nothing to do.

“Oh!” Yachi came back into the kitchen. “I just remembered we’re out of tape. I think I’ll need some to finish the wings.” She grinned, knowing that Tadashi’d be happy to take a short trip into the house for some tape. _He’d do it tonight,_ he decided _._

They ate soup together in the evening and Tadashi packed his bag. The house was already getting quieter as the family had gone to their bedroom’s and in a few hours they should all be sleeping.

Tadashi put on his dark green clothes, his cloak he always wore around the house, boots and tied his slightly overgrown hair back with some yarn. His bag was filled with rope, an oil lamp, a blade for cutting the tape and other stuff he might need, including a first aid package from Yachi.

“I’ll be going. It shouldn’t take me much more than an hour at best.” He shouted to Yachi, as she came to give him a hug for good-luck.

Tadashi slid down inside the walls, first to the ground floor where he could begin his search. The tape was usually tricky because no one ever returned it to its right place. Usually he’d stack-up on it whenever he happened to see it.

He walked his way to the work room first, where the tape usually was kept. Just at first glance he couldn’t see it on the table, but he made sure anyway, climbing his way to the chair first and then to the table. _With his wings this could’ve been so easy and quick._

He saw no sign of the tape there, even peeking inside the drawers with his light through the key holes.

The same thing in the kitchen and living room, though there was little chance anyway. He was lucky that the family’s dog always slept in Akiteru’s room, giving Tadashi total peace inside the house.

He decided to give up for now. _The humans must have put it somewhere out of sight._

The last place he walked across was the youngest boy’s room. The boy would never wake up during the night, so tonight Tadashi made an exception and went in.

Just his luck, the tape sat on the boy’s table at the window. It was an easy task for Tadashi, he could climb there completely silent and unseen, but the desk was quite close to the sleeping boy.

Deciding to risk it, Tadashi climbed onto the table and began cutting pieces of the tape to put into his bag. And like usual, the boy slept soundly.

Tadashi had already forgotten that it had been raining the whole day. Even now the patter of the raindrops was the only sound in the silent room, but Tadashi barely heard it.

He was closer to the blond boy than he had ever been. He could see the individual hairs falling on his face, the dents under his eyes made by his glasses and the slight sheen of his lips. It was also the first time he had thought a human to be beautiful.

Suddenly the rain picked up, crashing harder into the window and Tadashi had to tear his focus away from the sleeping boy. He swiftly picked up his bag and started running away from the table and to the windowsill that could take him close to the hole in the corner of the room.

A lighting flashed in the room and a thunder sounded somewhere above them. In the loud noise, Tadashi hadn’t heard the rustling of the sheets behind him either.

He felt a cold shiver down his spine, and something made him turn around, drew him to take a last glance at the human.

But when the lightning flashed again, illuminating the room for a mere second, bright golden eyes were already staring at him from the bed.

The next few seconds happened in a blur as Tadashi jumped away from the windowsill, luckily landing on a pile of clothes on the floor and rushed towards the exit in the wall. He _had_ to get away from those eyes.

The human boy had jumped up from his bed too, picked up his glasses from the night table, but when he finally turned back to the window, Tadashi had already slid inside the wall. If he was lucky, _the boy would just think he had been dreaming_.

But Tadashi didn’t think he’d ever forget the look on that boy’s face when their eyes had finally met for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the start to my story!  
> There's a lot of background and setting information, but I hope it helped to give you a clear picture of the starting situation :) It's so fun to picture Yamaguchi as this little creature running inside walls ^^ But who knows what Tsukishima will think of it?? o.o
> 
> I decided to call the characters by their first names, since I'm dealing with three Tsukishima's in the house lol!
> 
> I'm really hoping you liked the first chapter and will continue to see where the plot goes :* I really appreciate any comments and kudos you want to leave!
> 
> I'll update Wednesdays and Sundays <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The small creature had been standing on his windowsill in his room, not far away from where Kei had been sleeping and even in the morning, he remembered the deep brown eyes that flashed in the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING for talk and mentions of depression and themes like loneliness, social exclusion and bullying in this chapter especially!
> 
> Enjoy<3

Their eyes had met, Kei was sure of it.

The small creature had been standing on his windowsill in his room, not far away from where Kei had been sleeping and even in the morning, he remembered the deep brown eyes that flashed in the night.

The creature looked like a human, they were wearing small clothes and had a small rope in his hands, hair tied back from his face. The only odd thing was its size, only the size of a ruler or pencil. When Kei had finally gotten his glasses on in the dark room, it had already disappeared.

His doctor had said that Kei’s depression could make him feel lightheaded and unfocused at times, but it probably wasn’t possible to start _seeing things_.

He tried to remember the sight as he closed his eyes again, allowing his mind to bring back any clues as to what had even happened, what the creature was doing or if Kei had even been awake.

When he next opened his eyes, the sun was shining through the window again and his alarm clock was beeping. He realized that he still had a month of school until the six-week summer holiday and that he absolutely _had_ to get up, even if he didn’t feel like it. His therapist had nagged him enough about how important a regular schedule was.

Last nights interruption already felt like a distant dream, but the more he recalled it, the more he refused to believe that it was. Kei was rational and logical, and there was absolutely no trace of rationality or logic in what had happened, but he couldn’t let it go either.

Funnily enough, he wanted it to be _true_ , more than he wanted to be _right_.

He left for school anyway (which he hated) and into the class (that he hated). The people in there were just as obnoxious and loud as every day, ignoring him and his spiteful aura like always. At least it seemed the troublemakers of the class were not interested in starting arguments with him today. A small win in his book.

Kei had never been good at adapting, not into new environments, new groups or to new people. In his defense, no one had tried to adjust themselves into his personality either. That’s why he was usually just left alone, sometimes picked at by the bullies of the class but he could always hold his own too, and he did. Usually words were much more powerful than violence to keep the bullies away as Kei threatened or demeaned them, sometimes getting a few badly thrown punches as an answer.

When he had been little, volleyball had been the one thing that calmed his mind. It was _his_ and he enjoyed it. That was the only reason he still continued it, wanting to at least stay in shape, even if his team in middle school had been _god awful_ and _mean,_ and his new team in Karasuno was.. _annoying_. But even volleyball had been ruined from him by his brother, who had lied and basically sucked all his trust and motivation out of him.

Still, these teammates seemed to at least not bully him for his shitty personality. They were more often than not just amused and teased him for his behavior. It was so irritating but he’d probably prefer that to being fake around these people. He still hated going into the smelly gym, hated the practice where he was always paired with the first-year setter Kageyama who he never got along with and hated how everyone was better than him. Once, he had at least been good at volleyball and proud of his blocking, but now even the non-regulars got more attention than him.

He hated that they all were better at making friends than him, that he felt so outside from the team that was pretty close with each other.

He returned home after the volleyball practice, feeling more peaceful than some other days, but still exhausted and.. empty.

The house was empty too, his mother was probably shopping and Akiteru had finally started to look for a new job this year. After their father left the family to their own, they had needed to move to this old, run-downed house in another city two years ago. They have been merely living on their savings until their mother could get her a job after years of being just a full-time mother. Akiteru had to quit his job too, and had done a few gigs here and there since then.

The house was silent and it was the only moment when he liked it. He walked out of the hallway and into the kitchen to get some snacks he could shut away into his room with for the rest of the evening.

Suddenly, he again remembered the mystery from last night as somewhere in the kitchen he heard glasses clinking.

“Hello?” He said without thinking, feeling like a total idiot afterwards. The door to the kitchen opened, but only their small, old corgi, Rex (named by the 10-year old dinosaur-enthusiast Kei) walked into the room.

Rex came to rub himself into Kei’s shin and the blond petted him back.

“You’d tell me if you’ve seen small people in here, right?” He whispered to the dog, who only looked at him confused. _Kei was truly going crazy now._

But that didn’t stop him from looking into it a bit more, especially now that he was alone.

Kei started from his own bedroom, looking over the desk and trying to find something, anything to prove him _not crazy_. Some pieces of tape had been pulled out of their dispenser on the table and left there, which he didn’t remember doing himself. There was a pile of his shirts on the floor, but there was nothing under it. Kei tried looking under the table too but only ended up hitting his head.

When he rubbed the sore spot on his head, his gaze turned to the wall, which, completely unnoticed before, had a tiny crack, a hole that led between the walls.

If anyone else had seen it, they’d just assume it to be made by mice but to Kei it was a proof. He continued going around the house, looking for holes in the wall and found a couple others, though some of them were too small and some in places where the small creature couldn’t reach.

“Kei? I can’t believe you’re not in your room.” Akiteru announced as he and their mother walked through the door with groceries. Kei just grunted and already wanted to retreat to his room, just out of spite.

“Are you looking for something, dear?” His mother asked when Kei continued glancing around the room.

“I was just looking for my motivation for this conversation, but I guess I lost it.” He smirked to himself and walked away. The joke completely backfired, though, since his family seemed to think that his joking meant he was in a good mood or felt better today. His family smiled contentedly after him.

He was just distracted, not _better_. Though his depression only got severe a few years ago when they moved to Miyagi and the situation had now calmed down a bit, when you’ve already battled this illness for years, he wasn’t sure what _better_ even was.

“Did you take your medicine already? I’ll have food prepared in an hour.” His mother continued like nothing had happened.

“Yeah, yeah.” Kei finally walked away now, going to his room where his pills were. He had never been this aware of his surroundings, but he swore there was some rustling between the walls again.

The thoughts had occupied his head for the whole afternoon, so he had to do something about it, set up some kind of trap.

Hypothetically speaking, if there was a small human living in their house, inside the walls, the most probable bait would be just food, right? If this creature was real, Kei really just wanted to meet them, see it with his own eyes. Even if he had a sharp tongue at school and sometimes with his family, he’d never hurt or capture innocent creatures or animals. So, he could prove the existence of the creature to himself by the disappearance of his bait and then be done with it. He just wanted to know.

He placed a plate of cheese on the kitchen table, counting the pieces as he threw them on the tray randomly. If there really were just mice rustling in the walls (which wouldn’t have been the first time), maybe he’d get proof of that then.

The next morning, when his mother had come to question why a plate of cheese was left on the table, Kei told her, very suspiciously, not to touch them. He made his way to the plate and started counting.

And when he was done, there were 3 pieces of cheese missing.

❁❁❁

Tadashi had been afraid of the day that this’d happen.

He had managed to bring the pieces of tape back to Yachi, who had worried of the paleness on Tadashi’s face. He had barely been able to sleep.

The next day Tadashi only hoped that the boy had forgotten about it. In the end it had happened in just a few seconds. The blond looked quite normal when he left for school and Tadashi could relax for a moment.

But he knew something was wrong when he saw the boy inspecting the floorboards and _finding_ his secret “door” in the bedroom he had visited the night before. Tadashi had been keeping his eye on Kei that day, but it only seemed to make the situation worse as the boy clearly heard the small creaks he made inside the walls.

His only solace was that the boy had not spoken to anyone about him, at least not at home. _Though,_ _how could Tadashi be sure of anything anymore_ , the next he knew the pest control might be digging into their little house in the attic.

He knew he had to tell Yachi.

She was still in her workspace as of the last night, perfecting the pair of wings that looked almost finished on her table.

“Look, Yama! I added these handles where you can change the course, it’s going to work!” She cheered.

“Wow! That’s amazing.” He touched the fabric of the wings. “I hope it would be of good use soon.” He smiled sadly, already picturing how they had to flee their only home and disappear into the unknown world.

“It will! You can glide inside the house in the night, without _anyone_ seeing. Like some kind of.. bat boy!” She laughed.

“Well, about that..” He rubbed the back of his neck, fiddling his fingers over Yachi’s tools; blades, pins and hammers she had made herself. She turned to him, still smiling but as soon as Tadashi started, all color drained from her face.

“I was seen last night. When I was searching for the tape. The tape was in one of the bedrooms and the loud thunder woke the human. I’m so sorry.”

Yachi was speechless. Tadashi’d seen that look in her eyes only the night when they had been separated from their parents. “Oh my god..” she inhaled. “They’re going to kill us. They’ll find us and put us into display or eat us and..” She was already crying.

“No.” Tadashi took her in his arms and held her tight. “We’re going to be okay. I will get us out of this mess, whatever it takes. Hope is not lost yet.”

She was obviously terrified. She shook of fear, understandably, and Yamaguchi made sure that he calmed her down, gave her some water and food and saw that she went to bed.

Yachi was still in shock when Tadashi brushed her shoulder length hair away from her face as she sat on her bed. Her room was just next to his, only containing a small bed made from excess fabrics, most of her inventions scattered across the room and a lot of scribbles and ideas spread out on papers on the table.

“Which one was it?” Yachi asked quietly when Tadashi thought she’d already calmed down. “Which human saw you?”

Tadashi could only thank his luck it wasn’t the older brother, not that he’d willingly go into his bedroom anyway.

“The youngest, blond. Kei, I think. He looked shocked when he saw me but he hasn’t told anyone, I tried keeping an eye on him today.”

“Well, that’s good at least.” She managed a sad smile. “But we should stay very careful for a while at least, maybe the problem will just go away. From what you’ve told me, he seems like a good person, though.” It was the first time he had ever heard Yachi compliment a human, she barely _ever_ wanted to know about the family living below them.

But maybe Tadashi wasn’t as good at hiding his interest to that boy as he thought he was.

That night, Tadashi only went back into the house for the absolute necessities, mostly food from the just-filled cabinets. If they had to stay low for a while, he couldn’t come down for a few days. On his way back, he might’ve snatched a few pieces of the delicious cheese on the table too.

A few days turned into a week of not going down into the house. It was too risky with the boy who was definitely keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior or sounds. The situation needed to settle down and then Tadashi could continue normally again, more careful than before, of course.

He spent his days practicing his wings, as he liked to call them. It was just a piece of fabric over some metal wiring and handles for legs and arms with a support for his chest in the middle. He made sure the window was closed as he dived from near the ceiling of the attic, twirling a few times around the room and landing (mostly) on his feet on the attic floor. Tadashi thought he had quite a good grip on the machine with the many hours of practice he had put into it that week.

Though, he must have become blinded by his trust in his own skills as one sunny day, just a week after the incident on the stormy night, he had an idea. Yachi had found another project she was working on, which gave Tadashi a good opportunity to test his wings _outside_.

The weather was clear and calm, which was the most important thing. He climbed onto the window with his little hang-glider and took his position on it.

He just wanted to see the garden from up high and to feel free after the week of solitude inside the attic. After the shocking turn of events, he also needed to feel like he had a way of running away from this house if it came to that.

The thought of leaving their home, their safe place in the attic was devastating. Even if Tadashi knew they would have to leave at some point in their lives, that day seemed to be heading towards them too fast and too unexpected. He wasn’t yet ready to leave this home and surprisingly, wasn’t ready to leave behind the family and the interesting blond.

He stepped into nothing, away from the window. It was already a familiar feeling, but was now amplified with the fresh air in his lungs and the much vaster and greener world below him.

He glided further, far above the plants and bushes. He circled around the tree, not yet rising above it so that he wouldn’t be caught by the wind that softly rustled the tops of the trees.

The adrenaline and the wind on his face brought tears to his eyes, but once he changed his course closer to the tree his stomach dropped.

The youngest boy was sitting on the grass under the tree, unable to be seen from the attic window. There was no way to change his course now as he was heading straight into the boy. Not knowing if the wings could take it, he yanked the handles harshly.

Tadashi flew past the boy’s ear, almost tickling the blond hair on his way. He managed not to crash, but he couldn’t shake the thought that the boy must have seen him again.

He struggled keeping his wings straight from the drastic turn, while listening to any sounds from behind him, indicating that the boy would start chasing him. But before he noticed, he had flown too far on the yard and over the fence, onto the street.

He remembered a loud honk, crashing into something and then nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little background info on Tsukishima's life there :) He is totally not going to let this go! :p And Yamaguchi is just panicking. Though, it seems they'll meet again pretty soon ;)
> 
> I wanted to take inspiration of Shou's struggles in the original movie and decided to give Kei quite the difficult background with depression and loneliness, sorryyy!! But I've been really liking how this part of Kei fits the plot that's coming up so I wanted to go with it :)
> 
> Thanks for comments in the previous chapter!! And hopefully you'll stick around for more, because I'm just getting started ;)) I'll see you Wednesdays and Sundays <3
> 
> I have an art instagram and tumblr for updates, both called frootjuiceg :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the weird object flew over the fence, Kei forgot about being careful and leapt after it. Whatever the thing was, it was about get squashed into the windscreen of the incoming car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll continue updating Wednesdays and Sundays if you already didn't know ^^ I have most of the story written, so hopefully you'll want to keep reading!
> 
> Enjoy<3

Something flew past Kei as he sat on the grass in the garden that day.

At first, he thought it was just a bug, a butterfly maybe, but then he saw the white object twirl in the air like a small paper airplane.

He continued following it with his eyes, until he finally realized that something was piloting that paper airplane thingy. He put down the book he was reading, thinking he’d finally have a moment’s peace in the shade, while his family was vacuum cleaning and watching some loud sports match inside the house.

But now he had to follow this unidentified flying object on his back yard, though it _was_ the most interesting thing that had happened all week. He stood up quietly and tried to follow the small “pilot” without scaring him. Though, the creature (that he thought he recognized) had been the one to almost crash into him first.

The flying seemed wobbly and way too uncontrolled, though, as the whole thing neared their fence and the street. When the "airplane" flew over the fence, Kei forgot about being careful and leapt after it. Whatever the thing was, it was about get squashed into the windscreen of the incoming car.

Kei’s feet moved before his brain and he threw himself in front of the (luckily, slowly driving) car. The driver managed to honk at him and stop in time, but Kei still fell to his knees from the sudden movement and the scare as his heart bumped in his chest.

While his other hand was keeping him upright in the street, he felt the smooth fabric on his other. He was holding tightly onto the crumpled hang-glider and something else too, soft but heavier than any butterfly or bug. He quickly opened his hand to prove himself right and pulled the secret in his palms carefully to his chest.

The driver shouted at him from the window, but Kei was already on his feet, running back into the house with scraped knees.

His mother tried calling after him too for the noise from the street, but Kei only slammed his bedroom door as an answer.

When he was finally inside his room and had calmed his breath, he opened his palms. A small human laid in his hands, feet dangling over Kei’s hand, unconscious. And Kei had seen him before.

❁❁❁

When Tadashi woke up, he was feeling warm and soft. He heard the birds outside chirping and the warmth of the sunshine on his skin.

He would’ve just wanted to turn over and continue his nap, but then again, _he didn’t remember taking one?_

Opening his eyes, he wasn’t in his and Yachi’s small house, but staring at a tall white ceiling. If he wasn’t alarmed that he had fallen asleep in a very unusual and probably dangerous place, the eyes that stared at him from the edge of the bed as he rose to his elbows made his blood run cold.

“Hey.” The blond boy whispered, eyes wide and questioning, and that was pretty much the cue for Tadashi to run. He wasn’t sure how he got here, but he wasn't going to wait until the human decided he wouldn't let Tadashi leave.

Tadashi backed quickly away from the boy, jumped down from the pillow where he had been laying and into the ground.

He ran as fast as he could past the boy. The distance to the wall was quite long for Tadashi as he raced to the opening in the corner. The human would have only needed to take a few steps to catch him, but the boy hadn’t moved, only following Tadashi run away.

Tadashi wasn’t worried that he confirmed the crack in the wall to be his entrance to the room- the boy had already found it anyway. His only concern was to get away from the boy’s sight and reach.

He slipped inside the wall from the hole and immediately fell to his knees, panting and feeling his heart beat against his chest wildly. He wasn’t safe yet, but he was out of the boy’s grasp. Would he ever be truly safe anymore, Tadashi wondered. 

He had always been taught not to trust humans. Borrowers were already an endangered people and he heard a lot about even the "nice" humans taking advantage of them. He could already picture how someday the big creatures would come tearing down the walls to find him and Yachi, and Tadashi knew that it was time for them to move.

“Who are you?” The same voice resonated through the walls, much closer now. The boy must have moved closer to where Tadashi disappeared. The borrower was holding his breath. _The boy was clearly setting up a trap_ , why else would he try to communicate with Tadashi?

Tadashi didn’t answer but didn’t move away just yet. The boy's voice was louder than he’d ever heard it, almost soft with no hostility in it.

“You don’t have to.. don’t disappear.” The voice continued, unsure and frustrated. “I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I didn’t mean to. I wouldn’t.. do something like that.” The hurt that was clear in his voice almost made Tadashi want to peek around the corner and see the boy’s expression. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but the boy sounded just as scared as he was.

But before Tadashi had time to make a decision, the boy beyond the wall sighed. “Shit, what am I even doing?” He huffed under his breath, and by the sound of it, walked out of his bedroom.

Baffled from the strange interaction, Tadashi couldn’t move. He waited to hear if the boy’d be coming back for now and played the words over in his head. He couldn’t understand why the boy had apologized for.

He had never heard of humans that wouldn’t try to use their size and power to intimidate borrowers. Some humans were indifferent, but it was quite common that the relationship between humans and borrowers was not balanced. If the boy didn’t want Tadashi to slip out of his hands, why hadn’t he just done something- Tadashi knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against humans.

But this human.. he seemed to at least have some sort of a respect for him and his space, even when Tadashi had been completely unarmed and in a confused state. It was.. a _surprising_ discovery.

Tadashi was shaken out of his thoughts by sounds inside the house and the borrower fled further into the wall and traveled their elevator up to the attic.

Yachi was not happy seeing Tadashi return with cuts and bruises, as white as a sheet once again.

“What happened to you? I couldn’t find you and you were gone for hours!” She immediately came over to him as she heard Tadashi arrive through the door to the elevator. She quickly assessed the small bruises that had started to form on Tadashi’s arms “Don’t tell me… did humans do this to you?” She asked, horrified.

“No, I.. I’m still a bit dizzy and I’m not sure what happened.” Tadashi rubbed his head, ruffling the green locks he hadn’t tied back today.

“I looked everywhere for you! When I noticed that your wings were gone too, I-” Yachi kept babbling but the memories of the day finally returned to Tadashi at the mention of wings.

He explained to Yachi what had happened, how he had tried his wings outside in the garden, how he almost crashed into the human and how he remembered flying over the fence and to the street.

“.. I think, the human saved me today.” It seemed to be the only logical explanation right now. He had hit something as he flew to the street, but something softer, not a windscreen of a car. He had seen too many bugs squashed into it to know how dangerous it would have been. “He must have brought me to his room, and I don’t know if he did something to me but he also let me go. H-He said he wouldn’t hurt me.” Tadashi felt his cheeks warm from the words he still played over in his head.

But Tadashi's words didn’t seem to calm down his friend at all. “Oh no.. he knows where we live, he must already know! He’ll come and tear our house down and take us in the night, I know it!” She spoke to herself. “We have to move, Yama! We’re not safe anymore. We don’t have any other choice!” She cried.

Tadashi knew it too, but he didn’t want to believe it. Something about the turn of events today had altered his opinion, the way he pictured this world. It was big and scary and dangerous, not made for their kind, but maybe borrowers and humans would be able to learn to live together respectfully. It was little hope, but hope nonetheless.

_And he didn’t want to move yet._

“If we prepare for moving, we should really make sure everything’s ready.” Tadashi assured her. “I should try and gather some extra food and that might take time. I should look into new places for us, but it would'll be much harder without my wings.”

Yachi sighed out of relief. She could stay calm if Tadashi promised to give her an ultimatum, which gave him plenty of time to look into this situation a bit more.

“The human took your wings? It might take me some time to find another fabric, but after that we’ll be ready.” She smiled and walked back inside her workshop. Tadashi followed her inside the kitchen and started preparing their dinner.

Only in the evening when he was going to sleep and lifted his shirt over his head, did he notice a small bandage that was wrapped around his forearm, shielding scratches that were underneath it.

There really was only one thing Tadashi could do to help their situation, he realized.

He would be risking everything again for confronting the human. His plan might fail completely, but he put more trust into this human than he ever thought he would. Tadashi wanted to believe that what he had heard the boy say, had not been a lie.

If they needed to move anyway, this might’ve been his only way to try and make the human understand how serious this situation was for them and to make sure the human didn’t try anything before it.

And this was his only chance to maybe ever see what humans, and this interesting boy especially, really were about.

Tadashi slid down the elevator to the ground floor again the next day when he had regained all his strength after a long night of sleep.

He wasn’t even sure if the boy was in his room right now, but Tadashi wanted to make sure there were no traps there either. The green-haired borrower used another entrance to the room just for sure and slipped from the ceiling to the top of the boy’s closet.

The room was empty, fortunately. There was only a bed, a night table next to it, a desk with some books and a laptop on it and the boy’s closet. The room was pretty bleak for a teenager’s room, while even Tadashi’s room was mostly filled with plants and flowers and his most treasured items he’d found in his expeditions around the house.

Something in the room caught his eye, though, because of their familiarity. Tadashi slid down to the floor with a rope and walked over to the corner where the other entrance was. Next to it, were his wings.

They didn’t seem too damaged, just a bit crumpled and the wires twisted, but nothing Yachi couldn’t fix. Next to the wings, was also a roll of tape. They seemed awfully lot like a peace offering, a kind gesture from the human, but Tadashi still couldn’t be sure.

He moved the wings and tape inside the wall and continued looking around the room for any more suspicious items.

That’s when the door of the room opened and the boy walked in, dropping his bag by the door and slumping straight to his bed with his headphones.

Tadashi managed to hide behind the desk’s leg but followed the human carefully with his eyes. The boy wore black shorts today, holding the number 11 for some reason, but Tadashi only looked at the scraped knees and still fresh scabs on them.

Without thinking he blurted out: “Were you hurt yesterday?” He heard how the boy got up on his bed, but Tadashi only hid himself behind the table leg again.

“Hi again.” The boy sounded much more cheerful today, even if he had been pouting just a minute ago when he walked in. “I just scraped my knee, it’s nothing big. I get that in volleyball all the time.”

“I don’t know what that is.” Tadashi stated matter-of-factly. He had kind of been anticipating to talk to the boy, his first real contact with humans, but now he was feeling too nervous to even show himself. For a brief moment he had felt sorry for the boy to have hurt himself for Tadashi, but continuing to speak, he only tried to hide how nervous and scared he really was.

The boy laughed at the answer briefly and the sound made Tadashi’s heart beat a little faster. It was a frightening but bright sound.

“Right. I’m Tsukishima Kei. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, but I hope you understand I’m just a little curious and surprised to see you- well, _hear_ , at least.”

Tadashi hesitated a while before talking again. “I see you helped me yesterday.” He changed the topic. He should’ve thanked the boy but was feeling too tense right now. He couldn’t just pretend they weren’t whole _worlds_ apart from each other.

“You’re lucky I caught you from the air. You were very out of it afterwards.”

“Why didn’t you capture me then? You- You told me not to disappear.”

“Well, if you heard that than you also heard me saying that I wouldn’t hurt you. I just said it because I wanted to talk.” The boy stopped and Tadashi was again so drawn to see his expression. “Are _you_ hurt?” The boy, Tsukishima, spoke more softly.

“No, I’m fine.” Tadashi clenched his fists and spoke strictly. “It was your fault that I almost crashed anyway.” He pouted to himself as he heard Tsukishima scoff behind him.

“Whatever you say. It didn’t look very safe to me, whatever it was you were doing.” Tadashi could hear the smirk in his voice.

“I can handle myself. I’ve lived this life for years without anyone's help.”

“Living inside other people’s houses and waking them up in the middle of the night, you mean.” The boy was much more talkative than Tadashi had ever heard or assumed him to be. Tsukishima too sounded very interested in the conversation.

Tadashi sighed. The human really didn’t understand, he caught himself thinking.

“I’m a borrower. We live inside houses or wherever we can and borrow things that humans don’t need to make our homes and to survive.” He tried to explain.

“ _We_? Are there more here than just you?” Tsukishima sing-songed. The smug tone of his voice irritated Tadashi even more and he jumped away from behind the table leg.

“Don’t think I’d tell you something like that! I don’t trust you.” He got the first real glimpse of Tsukishima now, sitting on his bed and looking straight at him.

“Wow, I forgot how small you are! The car would have totally squished you like a bug.” The boy smirked. “I tried fixing that airplane-thingy of yours, but I guess I’ll leave it to you. I also gifted you some tape that you seemed to be stealing from me couple of weeks ago.”

“W-We don’t steal, we _borrow_!” Tadashi was getting even more agitated. The human was just smiling and laughing at him, not noticing all the trouble he had caused for them. “It’s because of you that it’s not safe here anymore! You shouldn’t meddle into our lives, just as we don’t do any harm to yours. It’s your fault if we have to move away!”

Tsukishima’s smile had weakened as an effect of his words.

“I _saved_ you, but I guess you don’t know how to be thankful for anything. Also, shouldn’t you give me some credit? I’ve only helped you and haven’t tried doing anything bad to you, but apparently you have something against, even if you’ve lived with us for years already. If you like living here, then stay, because I definitely won’t be in your way.” The boy spat.

Even if the boy now looked just as annoyed as Tadashi was, Tsukishima didn’t seem aggressive. Once again, he just looked hurt and upset.

Tadashi turned around and walked off, towards the wall. Maybe it had been all a mistake to think they could understand each other. Still, Tadashi couldn’t help feeling frustrated for the difficult situation and also for lashing out at the boy. Tsukishima had been right that he had been too distrustful. Tadashi had always been convinced humans to be a certain way- greedy, clumsy and unreliable, but Tsukishima seemed different and he had completely disregarded that.

He didn’t plan to become friends or anything, but he guessed it would be preferable to stay in good standing with the people that basically fed you.

He swallowed his pride and decided to answer more honestly: “Thank you for saving me and I'm sorry. My name is Yamaguchi Tadashi.”

Then the small borrower disappeared into the wall again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh noo, the two finally meet but not on the greatest of terms :I Tadashi isn't even sure if they can stay when they've been found out, though Tsukishima just saved him.
> 
> I love explaining what I write, but Yamaguchi is really in such a difficult situation, kind of guilty and frustrated, which is the reason he is so defensive. Then again Tsukishima is just teasing him and really doesn't understand what's so serious about the situation when he has already said he doesn't want anything bad for the borrower. So, miscommunication is only bound to ensue with these two, hopefully they'll be understanding enough to solve them in the future ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for comments and kudos! I really love reading your opinions ^^


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tadashi didn’t get to talk to the boy, even if his interest in communicating with Kei had only increased. He would have loved to hear about all the gadgets and items in the house. He realized how little he actually knew about the life of humans, when now everything seemed intriguing to him.
> 
> But if he wanted to ask something from the boy, it didn’t matter now anyway, because they had decided on a moving day.

After that, Tadashi began finding small gifts left for him every night.

He had stayed out of Kei’s sight at all times, honestly thinking that they’d never meet again and continue their lives like nothing had happened. But apparently the blond wasn’t done yet.

Every night there were food left on the table of the kitchen or tools, like more tape, pins or even nails, left on the floor of Kei’s room.

Tadashi wondered if he should’ve just left the gifts untouched. He tried it the first few days and searched for food and utilities elsewhere. But when the offers didn’t stop but became even harder to refuse (like some cut-out fruit and herbs that didn’t grow in their garden), he entertained the human a bit and started taking small, almost unnoticeable portions of the food.

He always checked if there were new tools for him in Kei’s room too, sometimes accidentally making noise while moving the items around, and he was sure that Kei perked up every time in the bed, like he had been waiting for it. He cursed himself every time, _had he always been this careless?_

But at least he could finally continue his nightly expeditions like normal and that made him relieved.

When the exchange continued for almost two weeks, Tadashi began to frustrate. His work became easier every time and he even became less active. He noticed how much he had liked the secrecy and the thrill of not being caught, but now his job was made too easy for him. Kei must have already discovered his patterns and schedules which he had been creating for the past 4 years, only for the purpose of not being caught.

This continued for a few more days and even Yachi began to wonder how their food storages were fuller than ever. He hadn’t told his childhood friend about the encounter with the human nor about the offerings he was giving to Tadashi. It was a topic that would just bring more worry and insecurity into their lives that were just finally getting stable again.

Still, he kept accepting the gifts from Kei, but not because he saw how pleased the boy looked every morning when the gifts had disappeared. Though in some way, Tadashi felt like they were helping each other, sharing their home and lives in the old house, and Tadashi wasn’t ready to let go of that feeling yet.

But after their first conversation, which did not go the way he had imagined it going, Tadashi felt he still had a bone to pick with the human. He wanted to talk about cutting down on the gifts that could make the rest of the Tsukishima-family suspicious, but he also owed him an explanation. If they would continue getting involved in each other’s lives like this, he needed to work on their communication and try to make the human understand him a bit better.

A sunny day in mid-June, he found Kei in the garden, all alone.

The boy was quite rarely outside, but sometimes he sat in the garden in summer or helped his mother with the garden, something Tadashi appreciated a lot too. Today Kei was watering the vegetables and herbs growing there.

Tadashi went down the tree trunk with his climbing hooks Yachi had made, running in the tall grass while trying to avoid any bigger bugs or birds that might see him move. His wings had been fixed already, but he knew better than to risk using them again.

Kei continued watering the garden as Tadashi got closer, tiny drops of water flying to the grass and shimmering in the sun.

Tadashi found a perfect rock where the blond could surely see and hear him and climbed onto it.

“Hey.” He shouted loud enough that the watering stopped, and Kei began to look around him, until his eyes turned to grass-level and to the rock where Tadashi was standing.

“Hey.” The boy smiled, the same smile he had seen on him last time only less smug. Kei crouched on the grass which made Tadashi back away a few steps, but Kei only looked calm and amused. “Have you liked my gifts?” He smirked, though more reserved than last time.

Tadashi noticed how different the boy he looked in his plain shorts and a t-shirt, a cap on his head and dirt smudged on his arms and garden gloves. If he were just some sizes smaller, he could totally pass as a borrower, Tadashi amused the thought in his mind.

“Well, I-- have never really gotten gifts before.” Tadashi pouted embarrassed. “But.. I wanted to talk about that. I think you shouldn’t do it so often.”

“Why?” The boy’s brows furrowed.

“It’s just that it might be suspicious. I- I really have to be careful and I wouldn’t want to risk it…” the borrower fiddled with his fingers. He didn’t like that he had to turn down the boy’s nice actions.

“I’m just making it easy for you. Less chance for you to get caught.” Kei answered uninterested, though he had been excited about Tadashi receiving his gifts just a minute ago.

“But.. it’s my job and my livelihood to search for those things. If you let me off easy, I’ll lose what’s initially my heritage and my purpose in life. It’s part of the job to rely just on ourselves and not be seen.” Tadashi explained. The blond stayed silent for a while.

“If you’re worried that my family will notice, trust me, they won’t. I wouldn’t believe you’re real if you weren’t standing right there.” He huffed, leaning his hand on his cheek.

“Well, it’s because borrowers don’t really want to make their presence known.” He stated strictly, trying to make the human to understand him better. Their lives had been entwined for a few years now and it didn’t seem likely that the just stopped meddling in each other’s lives.

Tadashi noticed how he didn’t mind the thoughts so much, if he just knew that he and Yachi could stay safe. “I hope you really understand how difficult of a situation this is for me. I’m not supposed to talk to you.”

“So.. why are you? Last time it seemed like you didn’t even really like me that much, so what’s keeping you from just leaving me alone? I told you I wouldn’t get in your way anymore, if that’s what you need me to do.”

To Tadashi’s own surprise, he wasn’t even sure of the answer himself. It wasn’t in his nature to back down from a challenge but talking to the boy meant something else to him than just trying to conquer his fears. He thought he had learned all there was to learn about humans and their relationship to borrowers, but the boy kept proving him wrong and shaping his view almost every day.

“I guess you were right that I have already gotten myself involved with you. You saved me, you help us get food. I don’t want to dismiss that just because I think I can’t trust humans. I want to be able to trust you like you said I can, and I wanted to tell you that.” Tadashi fiddled with his fingers, not noticing how Kei’s smile returned to his face.

“Okay.” The blond answered. After Tadashi looked at him puzzled, he continued. “Okay as in I’ll won’t leave food for you so often. I believe you know what’s best for your family. I’ll still offer my help for anything else you need.” The boy looked strangely neutral for how kindly he was speaking, and Tadashi felt himself relax.

“Letting us live in your house peacefully is more than enough. And keeping our secret too, right?” Tadashi smiled shyly. Kei made a motion of zipping his mouth shut and Tadashi chuckled quietly. The human seemed to inspect him for a moment.

“You’re funny.” The blond stated and it took Tadashi by surprise. He didn’t realize the boy was.. enjoying talking to Tadashi.

“I’m _funny_? Are you making fun of me?” He huffed, though not exactly angry. He had wondered why Kei was always smirking at him.

“No, I mean.. you’re fun. It’s easy to talk to you, I guess.” Kei looked away from the borrower and ripped a few pieces of grass into his hand, before clearing his throat. “Did your family even like the food? I noticed that you always barely took any with you.”

Tadashi hesitated to reveal anything about his family but quickly suppressed his doubts. It was a fair question, since he knew a lot about Kei’s family too.

“It’s just me and my childhood friend who live here, not a big family.” He left most details out, of course.

“I don’t know anything about your life span but aren’t pretty young or something? You can just live alone like that?” Kei asked concerned.

Tadashi took a deep breath. “Me and my friend got separated from our families 4 years ago when we were moving. We have been living here since but I have sworn that we’ll find them at some point again.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.” Kei said quietly.

“Well, this is not a world made for people like me, we knew it was dangerous when we moved, since none of us were experts at that kind of stuff. But I just have to find my own place in this world.” Tadashi shrugged.

“Same.” Kei said amusedly. Tadashi still couldn’t understand all that the human was saying, but he found it _fun_ to try.

“But that said, maybe I’ll come to ask you for help if we ever need it. Good to have someone on our side.” Tadashi started climbing down from the rock. He actually felt like he had made a new acquaintance and weirdly enough, it brightened his mood from the insecurity he had been feeling.

“So, you aren’t going to move away?” Kei stopped him, a hopeful glint his eyes.

For a moment, Tadashi had forgot about moving. It was still their most logical choice. “We might. Nothing’s really decided yet. But this has been a good home to us, Tsukishima.” Tadashi smiled back and dropped to the grass.

“Actually, everyone in the family’s a Tsukishima. You could just call me Kei or something.”

Tadashi turned back to look at the boy “Hmm..” He rubbed his chin with his hand, examining the boy’s face.

“I’ll call you Tsukki. Bye, Tsukki!” The grass started rustling as he headed back for the tree.

He heard how Kei laughed somewhere behind him.

❁❁❁

Kei continued leaving treats for Tadashi the next few days, though less often and less suspiciously. After their talk, Tadashi felt even happier accepting them on the few occasions he indulged himself with strawberries and grapes gifted to him.

He didn’t get to talk to the boy, even if his interest in communicating with Kei had only increased. He would have loved to hear about all the gadgets and items in the house. He realized how little he actually knew about the life of humans, when now everything seemed intriguing to him.

But if he wanted to ask something from the boy, it didn’t matter now anyway, because they had decided on a moving day.

Yachi had wanted to get it over with as soon as possible, so they were to leave that night, just four days after his last conversation with Kei. Tadashi agreed that it should be done sooner rather than later, but he couldn’t help feeling that something would be left unfinished in this house.

He couldn’t let Kei know about it: it would be a danger to their mission. Tadashi wasn’t sure what they were or what they could’ve become, but they weren’t friends. Moving safely to a new home with Yachi and starting the search for his parents was much more important than the feelings of humans, he tried to tell himself.

Still, when they climbed past Kei’s window that night, Tadashi did stop for a short moment to take the last look at the sleeping figure in the bed.

Tadashi had lowered himself from the attic window first, making a lift from a rope and fabric for Yachi and all their heavier stuff so that they could be transported safely to the ground. They both wore dark cloaks so that wouldn’t attract any beasts or birds in the dark night so easily. Though nighttime was much safer for moving in a busy neighborhood where they had lived ‘til now.

When they got down to the grass, Tadashi realized how they couldn’t know was waiting for them beyond the garden and the comfortable, familiar house of the Tsukishimas and even how long the journey would be. He felt weirdly sad, while Yachi was mostly twitchy but quite determined.

They both put the heavy backpacks full of food and tools on their backs and set out for the gap in the fence that led to the neighbor’s yard. Tadashi’s plan was to cross all these houses tonight and then trying to navigate to any new neighborhood close to them. They traveled the yards and gardens where they would be much safer than in the open streets.

“It’ll be fine. We’ll find a new home.” Yachi reassured him, which was odd, since he was usually the one calming the easily-frightened girl down. Maybe his bad mood showed more than he realized.

He hadn’t left the garden in 4 years, so understandably, when they stepped out of the garden into their neighbor’s lot, they were wary of every little rustle in the grass and sound in the night.

What they didn’t expect was a small light that suddenly appeared somewhere in front of them and started approaching the two borrowers at a rapid speed.

“HEY!” An unfamiliar voice shouted at them before a short orange-haired borrower jumped onto them, knocking all three down onto the soft ground. “WHO ARE YOU-“ The boy shouted until Tadashi slapped a hand on the boy’s mouth, preventing him of attracting all beasts in a few meter radius (that was a lot for them).

The cheery boy pried Tadashi’s hands off of him and continued, now whispering. “Who are you guys? I live in this house”. The boy pointed at the traditional family house on the lot, their (ex-)neighbors.

“W-We lived in the house next to yours. Right there!” Tadashi pointed to their home over the fence. “I can’t believe we haven’t ever seen you.” He was amazed. It was quite rare to meet other borrowers in these days. The population only grew weaker and weaker, as the word had gotten around. That’s why his and Yachi’s families had stayed so close to each other all their lives, not wanting to lose the contact to another borrower family.

“We’ve always lived here, though.” The boy grinned widely. “Me and my dad are just looking for some food. Oh, I’m Hinata Shouyou.” The boy shook both of their hands as Tadashi and Yachi introduced themselves too. Next, _Hinata_ inquired where they were going in the middle of the night.

“We’re moving” Yachi explained. “A human in that house saw Yamaguchi, so we decided to leave and look for a new place to stay.”

“Just the two of you?” Hinata questioned, the first time his massive smile fell. Yachi and Tadashi looked at each other sadly.

“We lost both of our parents 4 years ago. We just want to find a new home, but someday I will go look for them.” Tadashi announced. The orange-haired boy’s eyes got their shine back in a second.

“My dad is an excellent traveler! He goes on expeditions beyond our house all the time! He could help you!”

“O-Oh, well..” Tadashi hesitated. He didn’t want to risk anyone else for their sake.

“ _Pleeease_ , you can stay with us for just a short while, a few days maybe. My dad would love to hear about your situation and decide on a plan to help you find a new home- and your parents too.” Both Yachi and Tadashi perked at the offer. They knew that their chances to find a new place, not to mention their lost families alone would be quite slim, but it had been all they had until now.

“I think that sounds wonderful, Hinata.” Yachi poked his elbow on Tadashi’s ribs. “It wouldn’t do any harm to consult an expert before going, right?” Yachi smiled up at the taller boy, and Tadashi knew he couldn’t deny that smile.

Hinata took them to his father who lead the teenagers back to their home. Hinata’s father was quite silly and delightful, but serious when it came to his job and his family as he kept asking questions and praising the younger Hinata for finding them.

The group of borrowers slipped inside the house from an air ventilation pipe outside and made their way to the quite nice, big and lively small house under the floorboards of the house.

A smell of fresh meat and sound of laughter filled the air as they entered with their guests. A short-haired woman greeted the two new faces and a loud girl, just about 8-year-old followed behind her.

“Oh, how wonderful! We so rarely have guests here!” The mother of the family laughed. “And just when I prepared some grasshopper stew! It’s your lucky day.”

The whole family and their two new guests sat at the dining table, listening to each other’s life stories and questions. The food was delicious and much greasier than the mostly plant-based diet that Tadashi was used to preparing. He enlightened the family of their situation and asked if the father had any clues or pieces of advice to give them.

“Yes, I have traveled in these lands since I was just Natsu’s age. My father settled here many years ago and I know this neighborhood like the back of my hand.” He joked. “You two are still kids, very gifted and independent might I say, but in my opinion the best course of action would be to find a new home and your parents with my guidance. I know a small cluster of borrower families quite near here, but it’s still three days away. We could go ask them if they have any more clues about your families. In the same time we might be able to look into new places to stay for you two.”

The plan of Hinata’s father was much better and logical than their plan of just traveling far enough until they found something. Tadashi agreed to travel with Hinata’s father and Shouyou, which were the most used to the outside world.

The only problem was that Hinata’s father needed at least a few weeks to prepare for such a long journey, four days there and three days back. Shouyou offered to accommodate his “two new friends” for the whole time, but Tadashi and Yachi assured them that they had a good home right next to theirs where they could return to for the time being.

Tadashi couldn’t deny that he was relieved to go back home too.

Though, the Hinata’s insisted that they stayed with the small orange-haired family for a couple of days first. Tadashi and Yachi didn’t oppose, glad to get to know their neighbors and see the ways of another borrower family.

Natsu kept the two guests busy inside the house, teaching them all about flowers and growing them, which was her dearest hobby. Yachi and Tadashi had a lot of fun in Shouyou’s company and the three spend a lot of time together underneath the house, playing games and helping the family. Their mother made sure Tadashi and Yachi were always well-fed and taught them new recipes from several bugs.

During the night, Shouyou’s father, Shouyou and Tadashi journeyed around the garden, while the older man taught the two boys hunting and gathering. It felt nice to be looked after for once, bringing Tadashi many memories of his own father who had taught him all his tricks.

In the daytime the human family was heard moving and shuffling inside the house. It barely bothered the life of the borrowers under their floor, though. And sometimes, when they were in the garden, lead by Hinata to another one of his favorite places there, Tadashi caught glimpses of the people leaving the neighboring house, going to school and work.

He was just as saddened as he was relieved that Kei’s life continued normally, even after his departure.

❁❁❁

Kei kept leaving small trays of food every night, just wanting to make sure that Tadashi and his friend would never have to starve in their house.

Then after one night, the food stopped disappearing.

❁❁❁

After staying at the Hinata’s for two nights, on the third day they packed their bags again and headed back _home_. They were both glad to return to the familiar house, if only for Tadashi to leave in just a few weeks again anyway.

Shouyou cried as they left, even if they still lived right next to each other. His father had promised that Shouyou could go and visit them at least once a week, if his father escorted him there, though, and neither of Shouyou’s new friends minded it.

They walked back from the same gap in the fence first thing in the morning that day. Tadashi led them to the tree under the attic window and prepared the lift for Yachi. From the tree he was able to look into to Kei’s room and saw the same sleeping human there, like he hadn’t even moved.

A smile made its way to Tadashi’s face.

Tsukishima Kei had helped him so much and Tadashi had learnt so much from the blond that he didn’t want to lose that connection again. They had a connection Tadashi had never felt before, and he wanted to find out what is was. _There was something so similar between them._

Tadashi lifted Yachi to the window, then all their bags. He was supposed to climb the rope next, back to the safe attic where they lived, just the two of them.

But something else was on his mind.

Tadashi climbed his way to Kei’s window, looking inside to still see the boy sleeping inside. Then, he knocked.

❁❁❁

Kei got out from under the covers of the bed, turning his sleepy, irritated gaze to the window and the sound that had woken him up.

The sun shone right into his eyes, illuminating a dark small figure outside the window.

He stumbled onto the window and wrenched it open, seeing a smiling Tadashi greeting him first thing in the morning.

Kei couldn’t stop his heart beating a little faster and his lips turning upwards to a genuine smile.

“You came back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought Tadashi would actually just leave Kei?? Think again! ;)
> 
> I wanted to include this scene where they're about to move, because they kind of needed to solve the situation of being discovered by Kei and thought this was their only choice and the right time. But then they meet other borrowers and realize that they still have other choices too :) And Tadashi realizes that he kind of didn't want to leave, which he had a hard time admitting before.   
> He and Tsukishima have already kind of impacted each other's lives and both realize it now, when they thought that they'd lose each other. So poetic, I know!
> 
> Alsoo, I bet you didn't see Hinata coming into this story as a borrower xddd I absolutely love him already! His family is a big source of hope for Tadashi to finally finish his mission of finding his parents someday but more on that later ;))
> 
> Thank you for the nice comments! <3 I appreciate giving kudos and commenting so much!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The peace that had settled on their shared home was shattered a few days later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone order some angst?  
> Warning for discussion of depression aaand swearing :)
> 
> Enjoy! <3

It took Yachi and Tadashi a whole day to get settled back into their home. It was going to be temporary but still, the small house felt more homely than ever. And Tadashi couldn’t wait to get back into his familiar routines.

He continued borrowing things from the house almost every night, cooking for him and Yachi and keeping the house warm and clean. A regular hunting practice that he had learned from Mr. Hinata was also added to his weekly schedule.

The air around the house was easier and calmer now. After they had returned Tadashi had told Yachi about the few conversations he had had with the human and explained that they’d be safe here for the time being. Somehow it had actually helped calm Yachi down, and they could continue their lives like there had never been any danger.

Tsukishima’s mother around the house enjoyed the warm weathers of the late-June days, staying even more outside and bringing home more fresh vegetables and fruit than Tadashi could borrow. Akiteru had apparently gotten a job and finally left the house every once in a while. Even Kei was more active at home: he helped his mother with the gardening more often, he went jogging outside in the sun and _still_ kept leaving little pieces of food for Tadashi to collect. Kei really seemed happier and more open.

At least that’s how it appeared every time Tadashi went to greet him. He always thanked the human for the things he left for the two borrowers and the issue didn't seem nearly as big as it once had. Tadashi often stopped by in Kei’s room in the evening on his way to explore the house and sat with him in the garden when Kei was tending the plants there. The time spend with Kei (which kept increasing much faster than Tadashi realized) was usually filled with casual small-talk about their lives, though often he just enjoyed being in Kei’s presence silently, watching him and learning more about humans and this specific individual.

And Tadashi felt happier too, probably happier than he had in ages.

The peace that had settled on their shared home was shattered a few days later.

It had been a cloudy day with no sign of the sun and the sky darkened, just waiting to sweep the lands with rain. Tadashi had always worried about rainy days, which posed a serious threat to people his height. He should not have been worried about Kei, though, knowing full well that the human wouldn’t be threatened by a little rain.

Still, Tadashi kept looking out of the attic window, waiting for the boy to return from school, unusually late. He was sure nothing had happened, _Kei was fine_. _Kei wouldn’t just go away,_ Tadashi repeated to himself.

The whole afternoon he waited at the window, anxious to find out if Kei or the rain would arrive first.

A dark figure Tadashi almost had trouble recognizing finally ran to their yard and towards the house as the first drops of rain pattered against the roof. Tadashi felt relief wash over him as he was finally sure that the human was back home and unharmed.

He hadn’t even thought that the harm had been already done, completely out of Tadashi’s hands.

It started with Kei slamming the front door shut as his mother greeted him. The noises were echoing all the way to the attic. Then a crash of dishes was heard, along with more thumping across the house. A man’s voice shouted a “what’s the matter with you?” and the another answered with a very aggressive “leave me alone”. Tadashi knew that the latter belonged to Kei.

The audible steps lead into Kei’s room with another slam of the door, and then the house quieted again, only some murmuring coming from the hallway where apparently Akiteru was helping his mother pick up the fallen pieces of glass from the floor.

“Did you hear that?” Tadashi rushed into their home and to Yachi who was trying out one of Mrs. Hinata’s recipes in the kitchen.

“Yeah. I wonder if they’re going to fight again today. I don’t like all the shouting.” Yachi pouted. She was a bit timid at times, but incredibly sentimental and intuitive, so Tadashi knew she felt sympathetic for the humans who were so upset that they had to fight their own family.

Now that Tadashi thought of it, previously he had been very used to bickering inside the house that sometimes escalated into a full-on shouting competition. It was always Akiteru and Kei against each other. This was not the first time, but it had become rarer since the start of the summer and after Tadashi had met Kei in person.

He could picture Kei angry or agitated, but the thought of him being upset over something made Tadashi’s chest tighten.

He dashed out into the hallway, toward the elevator.

“Where are you going?” Yachi shouted after him.

“I want to check what’s going on.” Tadashi half-lied. Yachi was clearly able to see the worry on Tadashi’s face, how panicked he was because the blond boy was acting this weird. Luckily, she didn’t call him out for it, since Tadashi wasn’t ready to voice his feelings and what the human actually meant to him.

Tadashi slid down the elevator and toward Kei’s room. He entered through his usual path, peeking first around the corner, but the room was dim and silent if not for the sounds of the growing rain outside and the almost sickening blue light from the cloudy sky.

Kei was sitting on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped around himself, trembling. Tadashi stayed hidden, letting Kei be alone and calm down but he couldn’t leave.

He couldn’t ignore someone who was hurting, especially the boy he seemed to… _care_ about, who had been so kind, understanding and loyal to him and Yachi- two creature’s he had no obligation to help or protect.

Kei clenched and unclenched his fists on his knees and after a while, sniffles began to echo in the room. Tadashi heart ached hearing them and he finally began walking to the boy. Kei seemed to catch the sound of tiny steps in his room since he quieted down.

After a quick climb, Tadashi was on the human’s night table, eyeing worriedly the distressed boy on the bed who hadn’t moved.

“Tsukki, are you okay?” He started quietly, not getting an answer. “I was just worried when I heard shouting and wanted to see how you were doing. I.. hope you could tell me.” Tadashi wasn’t sure if he had the right to ask that, but he needed Kei to know that he wanted to help.

“There’s nothing to tell.” A hoarse, weak voice came from under Kei’s arms.

“What do you mean? I’ve never seen you this upset, this isn’t like you.” Tadashi clenched his own fists.

“This is exactly like me.” The almost foreign voice spat. “It’s the same shit I have to deal with every day, I should be used to it by now.”

Tadashi became only more confused and anxious as he listened. “D-Did you get hurt?” He tried. “I just don’t want you to be alone..”

“Leave it. It’s useless anyway.” The boy mumbled.

“That’s- not..” Tadashi tried.

“You don’t know me!” Blood-shot eyes lifted themselves up to focus on Tadashi. “You know nothing of my life and what I’m like! I’m just a piece of shit, a- a _horrible_ human being.”

Tadashi could feel the anger bubble inside him too. He might not know a lot, he didn’t really call himself Kei’s friend, but he could tell what the _real_ Kei was like, and it wasn’t the person he just described.

“I don’t care what you think about yourself right now, I know what I see. You’re not a bad person, Tsukki. I’m just trying to help!” Tadashi jumped closer to him, on to the bed. He knew that he didn’t have to be careful around Kei, and at that moment he couldn’t care less. He just needed to _know_.

“Don’t waste your time! I’ve been so stupid, thinking I could fit into here, but I hate it. I hate everything! I fucking hate this!” Kei pushed the palms of his hands to his eyes, trying to prevent the tears overpouring from behind them.

“Really, what happened to you? Did someone hurt you?” Tadashi asked again, more quietly while Kei was clearly panicking. He had never heard the boy speak like this, about himself or others, but Tadashi needed to stay calm. If Tadashi wanted to help, he’d have to wait for Kei to allow it.

He slowly walked closer to Kei’s side, lifting his small hand to stroke Kei’s ankle in front of him. He hesitated to initiate physical contact with a human, but right now he wanted more than anything to just feel the warm skin under his and to tell him that he was there. It wasn’t just a human, it was _Kei_.

He didn’t manage to reach him when the door to Kei’s room swung open and he was pushed behind Kei’s back by the hand still damp with tears as someone entered the room.

“Kei, honey, please talk to me. I’m really worried.” Tadashi heard the mother walk closer to the bed carefully. “We’re not mad at you. We just hope you could tell us what happened.”

“Get out.” Kei sniffled still, but his voice wasn’t wavering anymore. He kept holding onto Tadashi behind his back, only tightening his grip on Tadashi’s delicate body.

Even at a time like this, _Kei was still protecting him_ , keeping his secret hidden.

“Please, I don’t want you to be here, all alone-“ The soft voice of the woman started.

“I’m not.” He blurted. “I-I mean, I want to be alone for a while. _Please_.” Kei pleaded. Luckily, Kei’s mother respected the request and backed away.

“Okay. I’ll make you some soup and then we’ll talk.” She closed the door and both of the boys let out their breaths.

Kei turned to look behind his back, making sure that he hadn’t hurt Tadashi when the borrower had been grabbed so abruptly.

“Are you okay?” Kei’s voice sounded neutral, no trace of the panicked sobs from just a few moments ago. He let go of Tadashi, allowing the borrower to move freely again.

“I’m fine. Thank you.” He met the reddened eyes above him and Kei’s look shifted into something kinder, the _real_ Kei that Tadashi could recognize and truly cared for.

“I really want to be alone for now.” Kei moved on his bed and lay down under his blanket, not meeting Tadashi’s brown eyes anymore.

“Okay.” Tadashi answered softly and walked away, promising himself to keep an eye on his friend.

Kei’s mother brought him something to eat as Tadashi spied on the couple from above the closet. He heard the quiet voices, one higher and one deeper but couldn’t make clear of what they were saying.

They probably talked about the incident as Kei’s mother continued stroked his son’s back and shoulders, opening the literal and figurative knots in his muscles and mind. Kei seemed to talk to her about it, short sentences, nods and shakes of Kei’s head, and Tadashi was glad to know that Kei had support, even if he couldn’t be it.

She kept brushing the boy’s hair, softly drawing her fingers through the blond locks as Kei seemed to calm from the touch.

Tadashi drew his own fingers in his hair, wondering what the blond hairs would’ve felt like in his hands.

In the next few days little changed.

Kei continued lying in his bed, only getting up for the bathroom and sitting up when his mother brought him something to eat that he usually barely touched anyway. He slept a lot, throughout most of the days and when he didn’t, he played on his phone or looked out of the window. Tadashi wondered if he was waiting to see something in there and he silently hoped that Kei was looking for him.

Tadashi dared to visit the sick (?) boy, though less frequently than he would have wanted to. He always greeted Kei and plunged into talking about his day and the new treasures he had found. He brought some herbs from his collection to Kei, explaining how they were believed to banish all bad feelings, though mostly Tadashi just wanted to cheer him up with them. Kei hardly answered to him with other than grunts and huffs during those days, but Tadashi didn’t find it in him to just give up.

The days kept becoming more obscure as an awfully familiar looking face entered their front yard on the third day. Kei’s mother answered the door for the black-haired boy and received a small pile of notebooks that were soon taken to Kei’s room after the new boy had disappeared from their house.

Tadashi had still so many questions that remained unanswered but the answer came that same afternoon in the form of a bright, enthusiastic borrower from next door. He also brought a fresh set of herbs and some bug meat as a gift.

“Hey, guys!” Shouyou greeted Yachi and Tadashi when they pulled him in from the attic window. Tadashi prepared some tea for them as they sat down on the dining table.

Shouyou was enthusiastically telling them about his days and how excited he was to finally visit and demanded he’d get a tour of their house later.

“It’s been quite a mess, hasn’t it?” Hinata started out of blue as Tadashi had poured them all cups of lavender tea. Yachi looked just as confused as Tadashi felt.

“W-What do you mean?” He finally asked when their guest wasn’t going to continue.

“Well, Tobio has been talking about it every day, even more grumpy than usual, so I can’t imagine what Tsukishima is like.” He shrugged, like it was obvious.

Tadashi did not know who _Tobio_ was and didn’t remember talking to Shouyou about Kei other than mentioning some bits about the family. “You seriously have to explain what you’re talking about. How do you know about Tsukki?” Shouyou grinned at the cute nick name.

“I mean Kageyama Tobio who lives right next to you.” The borrower flailed his arms to the direction of his house. “He came to bring Tsukishima some homework just today, didn’t you see? He and Tsukishima play volleyball together in the same team, so I heard what happened since Tobio has been whining about it the whole week.” Shouyou rolled his eyes. Tadashi was still confused as to what the ‘volleyball’-thing was, but at least some of the mysteries had been solved now.

“Could you tell me what happened? Tsukki hasn’t talked about it at all, he’s been lying in bed all week.”

Yachi gave Tadashi a reassuring but sad smile. She had been curious about what had happened too and knew that Tadashi had tried to talk to the boy. She had told Tadashi that she saw how much this had affected Tadashi's mood too and how she hoped that the problem would be solved soon, for both his and Kei's sake.

“Well, it’s good if he feels some regret.” Shouyou started pouting. “I heard that their team had a volleyball match, you know this sport where you slam a ball suuper hard, and they had some important game, something about nationals. Well, Tobio’s team lost and it seemed that Tsukishima was trying to pick a fight at his _own teammates_ because of it. He said things like ‘you all suck’ and that ‘they’re the reason the team is so bad’, but in much meaner words, but according to Tobio that wasn't even true! He actually said that _Tsukishima_ d been the one playing badly and unfocused the whole day. Then, Tobio started arguing with Tsukishima about it, they hit each other or started fighting or something before a teacher got involved. Though, Tobio said he felt really bad that Tsukishima would be suspended from the club because of it for 2 months.” Shouyoutook a sip of his tea. “I guess that’s all.”

At least Tadashi had some sort of understanding of the events now. He felt even worse for Kei, because he could see how much the incident bothered him. Kei had been wrong to blame his team for their loss and to pick a fight with this Tobio-boy, but seeing how upset he had been after it, calling himself horrible, Kei must have already known this himself.

It was already the fourth day of Kei not getting up. The weather outside was beautiful and warm, and Tadashi decided that this was the day when he'd make it happen. He was determined to get Kei away from his bed.

But when he got to Kei’s room and saw the boy still sleeping so peacefully, he _almost_ didn’t wake him up.

“Wake up, sleepy head.” Tadashi shouted from the floor as he walked over to the bed.

Kei opened his eyes slightly, narrowing them at the disturber of his peace.

“It’s a really nice day, wouldn’t you like to go out?” Tadashi started. Kei’s frown only deepened, and his brows furrowed, tucking himself further into his blanket. Tadashi rolled his eyes at his defiance.

“Look, you’re wasting good time to be up.” Tadashi worried. “Are you really still feeling that sad?” He tried to look for any shifts on Kei’s expressions.

“I’m not sad, I’m depressed.” His eyes did indeed soften slightly. “I have depression. Sometimes it makes me feel so bad that I just lie in bed for days.” He explained.

“Oh.. I didn’t know.” Tadashi fiddled with his hands from the floor. “I-Is it bad? Are you sick?” He turned his face up.

Kei sighed above him. “It’s just difficult. I’m not sick like the way you’d describe it, so don’t worry.” Tadashi didn’t think it was possible _not to_.

“I’m sorry for that, I hope I could help.” Kei grunted as an answer. “.. And it’s a shame that you got suspended from your club.” Tadashi had climbed to the night table and sat down there.

“How do you know about that?”

“Umm.. word travels fast.” Tadashi laughed awkwardly. “But you can go back to play in 2 months, don’t you? You can still make things right for what you did.”

“I don’t really see the point. Everyone hates me there, it wouldn’t be much trouble if I just quit.” Kei contemplated for a second. “I don’t think I deserve to be in the club anyway.”

“I can’t really know for sure, but everyone deserves a second chance-“

“This wouldn’t be the second chance. There are already hundreds of things I should’ve apologized for in the past, when I should have done better or been a better person.”

“Why haven’t you?” Tadashi still couldn’t picture Kei anything else then the smiling, cheeky boy who helped her mother in the garden and was always happy to talk to Tadashi.

“I think I like making fun of people and ignoring anyone who tries to help me, maybe just to make my own suffering seem a little better, so that I wouldn’t be the only one. That’s quite horrible, right Tadashi?” His voice was much smaller now.

“ _I_ think you’re a good person, Tsukki.” Tadashi hopped on the bed, again feeling this urge to touch and to comfort.

“Really? Why?”

“Umm.." Tadashi thought for a second how to express his feelings."You might push people away and try to hurt them because you’re feeling bad but I don’t think it’s on purpose. Just like animals, the wounded fight back the hardest, right? But every time I’ve seen you make mistakes, you’ve owned up to them, even if you can’t yet apologize to the people you’ve wronged. I think you’re really strong like that. And you’ve also been taking care of me and Yachi all this time even if you’re not feeling good yourself. I think it makes you a good person.”

Kei’s eyes seemed to glow brighter as he inspected Tadashi. He didn’t say anything to argue so Tadashi hoped that Kei had finally believed him.

The blond closed his eyes for a while, visibly relaxing in the comfortable silence that followed. It reminded Tadashi of something he saw a few days prior and without thinking, he lifted his hand and drew it through one of Kei’s hairs.

“What are you doing?” Kei suddenly opened his eyes. The borrower flushed bright red at being caught.

“I-I just saw your mother doing this to you the other day. I wanted to comfort you.” He managed to say despite the evident blush on his cheeks and ears, pulling his hand back.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Kei closed his eyes again and began breathing deeply. Tadashi lowered himself next to Kei’s forehead on the bed and took a new lock into his hand.

The hairs of humans were longer and thicker than his, but Kei’s blond hair felt soft and velvety in his hands. Tadashi didn’t mind the contact either.

After a prolonged silence and some more hair brushing, Tadashi remembered the mission he was on.

“Hey.” He spoke softly. “Do you wanna go outside and help my fly my wings? I always wanted to try it again, but I think it’s too dangerous alone. If you’re outside you could make sure I won’t fly away again.” He grinned at Kei when he noticed golden eyes watching him. “Yes, we are totally doing it! And you have no word in it!” He stood up on the bed.

Kei observed him a little longer from under the comfort of his blanket.

“I think it’s too dangerous.” He started. “.. but if we make your wings into a kite, like just tie a yarn on it, then you can’t fly away.”

Tadashi’s eyes must have glowed from hiw happy he was. “Yes! That’s perfect! C’mon!” He urged Kei out of his bed and went to fetch his wings.

He came down the tree in the garden, already finding Kei sitting under it, a long piece of line in his hands, still wearing the same baggy clothes from the last three days. They planned what the best course of action was and tied the line tightly on one of the metal wires of the wings.

Tadashi put the strap around his chest and hands on the handles, _ready for take-off_ , he joked in his head.

“I need to go somewhere high so that I can catch the wind.” Tadashi wondered out loud and was surprised when Kei’s open hand came to wait on his side.

“Here,” the boy said, and Tadashi took a step, onto the human’s hand with no doubts in his mind.

He was lifted up above Kei’s head and the wind picked up, raising him into the sky. Tadashi was above the roofs and trees now, able to see the whole street of houses, humans going on with their day in their gardens, children laughing on the street and the tops of trees swaying with the wind.

Even far up in the sky, where the view was breathtakingly beautiful and he felt freer than ever, his eyes only found their way down the rope and onto Kei holding onto it.

“Woohoo!!” Tadashi screamed from the top of his lungs into the air as the breeze swayed his wings.

Somewhere underneath him he heard Kei laughing brightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo, I added up the chapter count and will probs add one more later ^^
> 
> Ah yes, if I wanted to give Kei some mental health problems, I couldn't let him off too easy, could I??? Jk, but I wanted this point in the story to be a reminder for Kei of how much he still needed to grow and get better, even if he found himself already comfortable with Tadashi and could forget about school with Tadashi. Though, he has faced these feelings many times before, now he also realizes that isn't so alone anymore and hears that he's not a bad person in everyone's eyes.  
> Also, this chapter was also kind of a turning point for Tadashi too, where he noticed how much he cared about Kei and how he doesn't want to stay just acquaintances but also to help and be there to support him, as his friend :)
> 
> Also, I just wanted some good angst and comfort ;) I totally love the part where Tadashi brushed Kei's hair, it's kind of a sign how comfortable they are with each other already :'))  
>  Ohh, and Kageyama has also entered the picture, anf of course Shouyou is "his" borrower ;)
> 
> Thank you for the sweet comments! I'm always so excited to continue this fic for you^^


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei usually spent his summer holidays all in the same way- hanging out in his room alone, watching shows and listening to music.  
> He prepared every day to continue this tradition but at some point of every day he was interrupted by Tadashi. And the more Tadashi visited him, the more Kei didn’t want to return to his old routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After last chapter's angst, I reward you with some much awaited fluff (well, I just wanted to write some fluff at this point) ;)
> 
> Enjoy!<3

Kei didn’t attend school for the last days before the holiday or the school’s summer ceremony that week. Even if he could get out of bed again and had barely enough energy to spend a few hours a day with Tadashi, he could not yet face his teammates who must have hated him now or his classmates who had probably heard about the incident, and he didn’t want to face them either.

The four-week summer holiday would be perfect to take some time away from school and the people he still couldn’t stand seeing.

And the more he thought of it, he didn’t feel like he needed anyone else than Tadashi to talk to.

The small borrower seemed to understand him in some way that others didn’t. He saw some side of Kei that Kei wasn’t sure even existed but if it meant that he could hang out with Tadashi without feeling as bad about himself as he usually did with his class, was just enough for him. It was a refreshing, though still odd and unbelievable, feeling to be treated as an equal, someone with no prejudices about how he behaved or talked like. He was free after a long time from the shackles and chains that he still needed to carry around every other person, but _not_ _Tadashi_. 

And it seemed that Tadashi trusted him too, since unnoticed by either of them, they became so much closer.

Kei usually spent his summer holidays all in the same way- hanging out in his room alone, watching shows and listening to music. He prepared every day to continue this tradition ever since his holiday started but at some point of every day he was interrupted by Tadashi, only coming to greet him, to talk to him about his day or try to encourage him to do something. And the more Tadashi visited him, the more Kei didn’t want to return to his old routine.

Tadashi started talking even more than he had previously, which Kei enjoyed listening to, because he didn’t have to answer so often. But then again, Tadashi got distracted by almost everything in Kei’s room, asking for Kei to explain what the things were and how they were used. And then it led to Tadashi asking Kei what he enjoyed doing in his free time and he had to explain things like bands, video games and gym.

The borrower life truly was much simpler than his, and Kei could almost envy it, though maybe he envied more that he didn’t get to enjoy such an easy life with Tadashi.

So, they spend most of their days in Kei’s room while he introduced Tadashi to the books on his shelf, games from his phone and made him listen to music. Tadashi was always so eager to hear about the human things, and it was quite fun to talk about his interests to someone who Kei knew was interested and not judging him.

On especially good days, Kei went outside of the house, walked or played with their dog Rex, just chilled outside under the tree or pottered around in the garden. Every once in a while, Tadashi liked to appear there too.

He didn’t really notice that he and Tadashi spent most of their days together now. They were mostly only separated when Kei went out of the house for shopping or the times Tadashi ventured around the house or had some stuff to do at his home. The rest of their time, they were pretty much always in the same space.

“Hey Tsukki!” Tadashi greeted as he walked again to Kei’s room as he lay in his bed, a book in his hands. “What are you going to do today?”

Tadashi stopped at the foot of the bed, waiting for Kei to lower his hand and to lift him onto the bed with Kei. It was just easier for Tadashi, but these sort of small gestures and touches had become more frequent as they tried to fit themselves into the other’s life.

“Might just read a bit more..” He lifted Tadashi onto his side on the bed. “And I promised to help mom with something.” Kei turned the page as he lay on the bed on his stomach.

“Oh, is that the book you talked about yesterday?” Tadashi approached him even closer and walked over to Kei’s hand that was holding down the book. Tadashi sat himself there and leaned his side to Kei’s wrist where he could read the words easily. “Mind if I join?” Tadashi looked back at him as Kei stared at the small creature in interest. It had been so long since someone had been so comfortable around him, and even longer that he had been comfortable with someone.

Kei continued turning the pages as Tadashi looked over them with him. The silence was nice and easy, making Tadashi almost fall asleep. At least his head was nodding in a telling way, until a knock was heard from the door.

“Kei, please could you go plant the seeds now? I just got the soil ready.” His mom shouted outside the door and woke them both up- Tadashi from his sleep and Kei from the comfortable trance he had fallen into where he wasn’t sure if he was reading the lines or observing the slowly rising and falling chest of the borrower.

Tadashi seemed to always be so captivating, Kei thought unintentionally.

He didn’t dare move right away, but soon Tadashi stretched and got up too. “You’re gonna plant some more vegetables?” Tadashi questioned, seemingly unbothered by the previous contact they shared, eyes shining with the same interest that shone there whatever they did.

“Yeah. Wanna come help?”

Kei headed into the garden with the seeds for herbs and vegetables he received from his mom. Tadashi had followed right after him and arrived to the garden.

“So, if I’ll make a small hollow into the soil and then you drop them the seeds in?” Kei passed Tadashi the small bag of seeds as the boy’s eyes glowed.

“Aye aye, Tsukki!” He struck his small hand into the bag and put a handful of seeds into the shallow hole Kei had made.

They continued the task in silence, occasionally laughing when Tadashi almost tripped from the small pits in the soil, or when Kei handed Tadashi another bag of different seeds.

“I really can’t wait to try some of these. The ones your mother brings from the shop are good but I just appreciate the ones you grow so much more.”

“Don’t you find it annoying? Being so dependent on someone else’s life and choices?”

“Hmm, yeah, we are dependent, but it’s still not easy to gain all the things we’d want. I can’t just walk into a shop and choose what I want. Being a borrower is a form of art.” Tadashi giggled, and Kei agreed.

“It seems like such a simple life to me. No responsibilities or regulations. You literally make your own life.”

“Well, I don’t know of anything else. I think it sounds very interesting what you’ve told me about your life. That you’re basically always looked after by the whole community, you’re taught and educated to this world and that you can make whatever you want of it. I think that sounds pretty simple too, don’t you think?”

“It’s not.” Kei furrowed his brows. “It can very quickly have the opposite effect that you just fall out of the system and suddenly no one cares what you do anymore. And then, you just don’t have any idea what do with your life.”

Tadashi looked at him sorrowfully. “That sounds familiar.” He smiled sadly. “But isn’t there anything you could do? To get back on track and find some meaning in life, I mean. Don’t you have any, like.. dreams you want to achieve?”

“I’ve pretty much buried them long ago.” A flash of Akiteru for some reason filled his mind and Kei shook his head to get rid of it. “They were silly anyway. My dreams now are much more realistic, smaller.” He thought for a moment. “Like, graduating from school, or getting a well-paid job someday. But I don’t consider them dreams, they are not something I _need_ to make my life happy or whatever.” Kei rubbed the back of his head, oddly calm speaking about topics he avoided even with his mother. “Do you have dreams?”

Tadashi seemed to freeze from the question, his hand still down the bag of tomato seeds. “Umm… yes. I just don’t know how to achieve them yet.” Tadashi didn’t elaborate and Kei didn’t ask. He wondered if it had something to do with Tadashi’s family or what he had shared about wanting to travel the world. “Maybe someday I’d like to have my own garden.” Tadashi then laughed.

Kei huffed at him, happy for the change in topic. “What would you grow there?”

“All kinds of herbs, I love using them in cooking. And sunflowers, they’re so beautiful and I’ve always wanted to grow them.” Tadashi grinned.

In the next moments, Kei got up from the ground and headed inside the house. When he returned again a few minutes later to a confused Tadashi, he handed a bag of sunflower seeds to him.

Without needing words, Kei made several new holes into the soil and watched as Tadashi placed a sunflower seed into them carefully. Their job was pretty much finished anyway, so his mother had agreed to plant some flowers into their garden.

“Now you have one less dream to fulfill.” Kei felt his cheeks warm from the sappy line, but the unbelieving, almost overjoyed look on Tadashi’s face would have had the same effect anyway.

The conversation was interrupted by a cheery barking that approached them. Suddenly a set of flapping ears and a happy snout of the small corgi greeted Kei, jumping onto his arms and licking his face.

“Hey, boy. Did you come to help us in the garden too?” Kei rubbed the perked-up ears of the 6-year old dog. “…or did you just come here to eat the soil?” He laughed.

Kei noticed Tadashi watching them with more caution than usual. He almost tried hiding behind the bad of sunflower seeds in his hands, but his eyes gave away that he was intrigued.

“Have you met Rex, Tadashi? He’s very eager to meet new people and might just tremble you by accident.” Kei smirked.

“No, I haven’t. I’ve been afraid that he’ll start barking.” Tadashi answered quietly, drawing the dog’s attention to the new voice. Rex soon found his new target and pattered closer to the borrower.

“Don’t worry. He’s a really friendly dog.” Kei said but also pulled Rex in his arms to prevent the dog from getting too close. The dog sniffed the new person, the wet nose almost touching Tadashi’s chest as he tried to stand still bravely.

Rex started wagging his tail again and reached to lick Tadashi in excitement, while Tadashi flinched from the action and retreated a few steps.

“Okay, buddy. That’s enough.” Kei hold the excited dog back even tighter. “He seems to like you, though.” Kei continued patting the dogs head as he smiled at the puppy. He hadn’t noticed how much he liked dogs until they had gotten Rex, now Kei’s loyal and calming companion at home.

The dog in his arms whined quietly for being held down, but Kei silenced him with a strict command. Tadashi followed the display of affection between Kei and Rex. When Kei was about to take the dog back inside in his arms, Tadashi spoke up. “C-Can I pet him too?”

Kei lowered the dog back into the ground and let it approach Tadashi slowly. The borrower lifted his hand and it hit the wet nose of the dog as he stroked the top of its snout a few times.

It looked _really funny_. “His name is Rex, if you didn’t know.” Kei smirked.

“It’s a weird name.” Tadashi laughed as Rex continued wagging his tail from the affection he was given.

“It comes from T-Rex. But you don’t know what that is, do you?” Kei smirked as Tadashi just shook his head in embarrassment. Tadashi was probably much smarter than Kei, but it was quite funny to tease the other about all the details about human world that Tadashi had no idea about. “Okay, we’ve got to watch Jurassic Park then. It’s my favorite movie. I’ll show it to you.”

After a while, Tadashi stopped petting the dog and Rex drew his attention to something else in the garden, happily running away from them.

“Sure, that sounds fun.” Tadashi turned back to him and smiled brightly, warming Kei’s heart better than the sun ever could.

He had a friend.

Tadashi stayed to collect some plants for his room as Kei walked back inside the house, shirt stained with soil, swiping sweat from his forehead.

His mother was greeting him when he got to the kitchen to wash his hands.

“You finished the job?” She smiled to him.

“Yeah. Not with Rex’s help though.” He joked as the dog appeared in the kitchen, confused about hearing his name. Kei chuckled quietly at the memory of Tadashi petting the huge dog with slightly trembling hands.

“You seem to be having fun nowadays. You’re more active than you’ve been all year.” His mother pointed out, knowing that asking for the reason would still be too insensitive. _Kei’d explain to her in his own time_ , she always told herself. Kei couldn’t give her the satisfaction of admitting it, but he hummed in recognition anyway.

“It’s really nice to see you joke and laugh, Kei.” She started softly. “But I was wondering if you’d like to.. maybe spend some less time so alone. You don’t have to spend time with me, but what about saying hi to the boy next door?” She had such nice intentions, but Kei was immediately irritated by it. Kei disliked being doted on, especially when she was actually wrong about him being alone all the time.

“Maybe it’d play with my neighbors that if I was still 6 years old, mom.” He took himself a glass of water. “I couldn’t care less about getting to know new people.” _Not when he had Tadashi as his friend._

“That boy is the setter in Kei’s team, mom.” Akiteru walked into the room, clearly already knowing what they talked about. “Kei wouldn’t probably be caught dead to admit to Kageyama-kun his mistake.” Akiteru grinned, a hint of concern in his voice.

“Oh, yeah, Kageyama Tobio-kun.” Kei’s mother remembered. “Well, I think that’d be exactly what you’d need right now. Then you could relax and finally forget about the situation at school. Maybe you’d even be let back into the team.”

Kei rolled his eyes, already sick of the conversation and prepared to retreat into his room.

“Oh, wait another thing.” His mother stopped him. “Me and Akiteru are going to visit your grandparents this weekend. We’re going to stay there for three nights, wouldn’t you want to join us? It could be fun.”

“I think I see enough of you two at home, so I’ll pass.” Kei stated blankly. He didn’t care for any family trips anymore, but if it meant he had the house for himself for a couple of days, it was even more the reason to stay.

“C’mon, what’s gotten into you?” Akiteru snapped at him. “We’re just trying to help and you won’t even give us the time of day. Why can’t you do this one little thing for mom who wants you to come with us?” Akiteru often tried to pressure Kei into doing things he didn’t want to, even if deep down Kei knew Akiteru was partly right. It _could_ be good for him, but he refused to listen to Akiteru, not after the volleyball accident in middle school that still continued to haunt their relationship.

“No, no, it’s fine, Kei can make his own decisions. Maybe it’s best for Kei to have some time on his own, without us bothering him all the time.” Their mother admitted and Kei was finally let to leave the room.

When he finally saw the car pull out of the driveway with his mother and Akiteru inside on Friday afternoon, he immediately rushed back inside and up to the attic.

He’d never been there after finding out about the borrowers in their house ( he respected their space), but he knew that the two borrowers were attentive enough to hear him coming.

“Tadashi.” He called into the quiet attic, careful not to be heard even without no one else in the house.

“Tsukki!” Tadashi appeared from the direction of the window. “You never come here. What’s going on?” The small creature strode to Kei’s side as Kei crouched to greet him.

“My mom and Aki won’t be back for a couple of days. I just thought it’d tell you and.. do you wanna watch a movie tonight?” Kei had realized the opportunity when he heard his family’d be gone for a while. It felt so exciting not having to hide Tadashi all the time and spending even more time together, like friends did. He hoped Tadashi felt the same way.

“Oh!” Tadashi exclaimed. “That sounds like so much fun! I mean, I’d always wished to just see how you humans live in the house.” He grinned. “Hey, can I bring Yachi with me to see the house? She’s never been downstairs!” Tadashi thought up.

He suddenly remembered that Tadashi wasn’t here alone. He already had a friend he was living with, this girl called Yachi, that Kei had never even seen. He hadn’t taken into account that he’d have to compete for Tadashi’s attention with Tadashi’s childhood friend.

Kei met the other borrower in his room later that day. Tadashi was dragging along a very scared looking blond-haired girl, who clung onto Tadashi’s clothes tightly. Kei was already iffy whether or not this was a good idea.

“Yachi, this is Tsukishima Kei. You’ve seen him around the garden right?” Tadashi tried to calm her by grabbing onto her hand and Yachi nodded slowly at Kei, who sat on the floor.

Kei felt something dark inside him trying to bubble up, he wanted to scoff at her or to feign disinterest, but he swallowed the feelings down.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kei. You don’t have to be afraid, I think Tadashi can vouch for me that much.” He glanced at the green-haired boy, who was giving him a cheerful smile.

“Yeah, Tsukki is a very good human. I wanted to bring you here so that you _wouldn’t_ be so afraid anymore.” He reminded the girl, who still didn’t move from behind Tadashi’s back.

“N-Nice to meet you.” She blurted out after a second of hesitation. Kei prevented himself from rolling his eyes at the girl.

“If you two want, I could give you an official tour around the house now that it’s possible. I can even show you our garage, where we have all our tools and stuff.” He smirked when Yachi met his eyes, excited about what she was hearing.

To move faster from room to room, Kei offered to lift the two onto his shoulder. Tadashi had sat there on a few occasions but not when Kei walked. Yachi looked suspicious at the request, but when Tadashi pulled her with him, the two settled on the shoulder , Tadashi holding onto a strand of Kei’s hair and Yachi almost crushing Tadashi as she held onto his arm.

Kei took them around the house, showing all the rooms and explaining to Yachi (and sometimes Tadashi too) what each appliance was for. Yachi seemed to open up more and more as she wanted to know how the gadgets and machines worked, a question Kei often had no answer to. Luckily, in their garage Yachi could just look around their tool collection and not bother Kei with any more questions.

She kept squealing by herself and showing Tadashi all the stuff she found there. Quite frankly, Kei found it quite amusing. He was also happy that while Yachi kept looking around the room, Tadashi still stayed close to him and chatted.

Kei promised them a movie night that night, so the three curled up on the living room couch, Yachi and Tadashi sitting at the edge of the seat, as Kei explained what the Jurassic Park was about.

After the movie was over, Yachi admitted that it wasn’t her thing, while Tadashi said he loved it, although he had been scared most of the time.

The borrowers returned to their house with a big bag of screws, nails and wires that Yachi had collected with Kei’s permission. The next day Kei heard that she thought Kei was as kind as Tadashi had described him to be.

The next morning, Kei was already rummaging around the cabinets as Tadashi sat on his shoulder, trying to find something for them to eat.

“I think I’ll have to go to the store today.” He spoke his thoughts out loud, picking up the money his mother had left for him on the table. “Would you want something specific? I can bring you something you’ve always wanted to try.” He grinned at Tadashi as he started contemplating the question.

“Hmm, I like a lot of fruits, but they’re usually so big I can’t, like, borrow them without being noticed. But other than that, I don’t know what humans even have in their stores.” Tadashi shrugged.

Kei was struck with an even better idea. “Okay, maybe it’s best if you come with me then.”

“Huh?” Tadashi’s eyes widened. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. What if I get caught?”

Kei could tell Tadashi was excited, even if he tried to cover it with concern. _When had he began to read Tadashi so well?_

“You can just tag along in my shirt pocket. It won’t even take long, but then we can buy something that you want.” He shrugged nonchalantly, knowing that he’d get Tadashi to agree anyway.

“Will there be a lot of humans?” He questioned one last time.

“This early in the morning, usually no.” Kei gave him a reassuring smile, nonetheless.

“Okay then.” Tadashi smiled back.

Kei indeed hid his friend in the pocket of his flannel shirt as they entered the convenience store. Luckily, in the store were barely any people and he noticed that Tadashi peaked out of the pocket often.

“I’m just going to get some chips for me and fruit for you, just tell me which one’s you like.” Tadashi was afraid of speaking, so he just pointed at the apples, grapes and watermelon which Kei picked into his shopping basket.

“Tell me if you see something interesting.” Kei mentioned as he put more items into his basket, like some sports drinks and bread and eggs.

“Tsukki.” He suddenly heard from his pocket when he was trying to pick a pizza for himself from the freezer. “Are those good?”

Tadashi pointed at a bag of ready-to-bake French fries in the freezer. “Yeah, they’re really good. Very greasy and unhealthy.” Kei laughed quietly, so that he wouldn’t draw the attention of the staff in the small shop.

“Can I try them?” Tadashi looked up at him and Kei answered by putting the bag with the other groceries. On his way to the counter, he bought a slice of strawberry cake for himself and Tadashi to taste too.

At home Kei arranged all their groceries on the table, displaying them for Tadashi.

“What do you wanna try first?” He smirked amusedly and took a seat on their dining table as Tadashi walked among the foods.

They ended up preparing a half a bag of French fries and trying out the strawberry cake for dessert.

To Kei’s surprise, Tadashi loved the French fries- after he had let them sit on the table for 15 minutes and get all mushy and soggy.

Tadashi also claimed the cake to be ‘so delicious’ but couldn’t even eat a tiny slice after he gave up.

“Okay, that’s enough junk food for you.” Kei laughed as Tadashi lay onto the table in a star-shape.

“But it’s soo good! I’m so full but I want more.” Tadashi whined, but laughed together with the blond.

“Welcome to my world. Let’s at least go to my room and not lie on the kitchen table.” Kei got up from his seat as Tadashi reached his hands up.

“You have to carry me there.”

Kei ended up lifting the limp body of his friend on his palms and carried the tired borrower upstairs to his room.

After having taken a nap together on Kei’s bed, they had regained enough strength for the second Jurassic Park film. Tadashi insisted that he wouldn’t be scared this time but proved himself wrong in the first ten minutes of the movie.

On their last full day alone, they decided to spend sometime cleaning the house from all the trash Kei hadn’t bothered cleaning up earlier. Tadashi helped by dragging a wet rag over the tables. They also played a boardgame and Tadashi insisted they invite Yachi to play too. Monopoly had never been more difficult to explain than to two people who had no clue about stock market and taxes.

The third Jurassic Park wasn’t the best of them, according to Tadashi, but he still gave a good analysis of it to Kei in the dark living room where they had been watching the movie, Tadashi sitting on Kei’s shoulder for a better view.

Kei had prepared him some bits of the fruit they had bought, and Tadashi munched on a cube of watermelon happily.

“.. and it’s quite an interesting set-up to see _humans_ fighting for their survival against something much bigger than them. Really makes you think.” Tadashi mumbled to him, mouth full of watermelon.

He still remembered how sugar-high Tadashi had been the day before, but now he just seemed to seemed to ramble on out of tiredness as he leaned heavier onto Kei’s neck.

“Well, thank for the great analysis.” Kei laughed, trying to keep his shoulders from shaking too much.

“You’re welcome.” Tadashi grinned happily. A comfortable silence descended after that as Tadashi continued taking bites off a grape now.

Kei thought back on the whole weekend, recalling all the times Tadashi had made him laugh and how much fun he had had. He had barely given any thought to things outside the house, not to school or his family, hardly to anything other than the friend sitting on his shoulder.

But just like that fact, everything with Tadashi was new to him. The way they connected and how Kei could stay himself in Tadashi’s company, no built-up feelings or fake facades. But even newer was how he wanted to be close to Tadashi, to support him and to make Tadashi trust him. He wanted to be something special and he wanted to say it out loud. It was so new that he had a friend he cared so much about, but didn’t even know if it could become real with the so different lived they leaded.

“Tadashi.” He quietly whispered into the room. Tadashi stirred from his half-sleep and turned to smile at Kei. “Is it weird that we’re friends?”

They had never talked about something like this before. Kei felt like it was the elephant in the room, though he was still unsure if he even should bring the topic up. Maybe he’d been afraid that Tadashi denied the whole thing and told him the exact words he did not want to hear. _That people like them couldn’t be friends with each other._

Tadashi seemed to look at Kei a bit longer until he answered with a kind smile.

“I don’t think there’s anything weird about it. It might be unusual and an unordinary friendship, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real or that it’s wrong.”

It felt like a weight had lifted from Kei’s heart as he listened to Tadashi’s words. He really, _really_ had needed the recognition and to hear Tadashi’s opinion.

But Kei continued, even more afraid of the next question. “And would it be weird if I thought you were my best friend?” He fiddled with his fingers as he waited for an answer.

Tadashi seemed surprised as if he had never thought about it. He looked puzzled as he rubbed his chin.

“Y’know that borrowers are a very lonely, solitary people. We usually just live with our family our whole lives and definitely don’t meet a lot of new people. I wouldn’t say I have many friends myself and even if I love Yachi and the few friends I’ve made in my life, I can’t say I’ve ever had a friend like you. And I mean that in a good way. So, yeah, I’d be really lucky to have you as my best friend.”

Kei couldn’t help the blush that crept on his face and made Tadashi giggle at his embarrassment. He had never doubted Tadashi’s kindness, but he had doubted himself, that he was incapable of being loved or that anyone would be ’lucky’ to have him. It still didn’t fit into his self-image, but it fit to how Tadashi treated him.

“I—I’ve never really had anyone as my best friend before either.” Kei spoke quietly, turning his head the other way. “It’s always been so hard for me to socialize, to make people understand what I mean, so I have just given up on everyone. But you didn’t give up on me... It’s just great.. to have someone who believes in you. I really want to hold onto it.” Kei barely got the words out but when they were finally uttered, they seemed so long overdue.

“Me too, Tsukki.” Tadashi answered him softly.

The conversation drained every ounce of energy Kei had left in him. And now, he was tired of fighting the weight on his eyes and the comfort of the sofa.

They fell asleep there, Kei on his side on the narrow sofa and Tadashi next to his palm, holding onto Kei’s little finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, so much happens in this chapter, but then again it's mostly just Tadashi and Kei hanging out and enjoying themselves ^^
> 
> This chapter's idea was to be pure fluff and I didn't even want anything else than to show glimpses of their friendship and days together :) It just turned out a bit longer than I expected lol!  
> But also, I wanted this chapter to really highlight what they mean to each other, or rather what Tadashi means to Kei at least, and to let them have these sincere moments together, learning to take contact and to have meaningful conversations about their lives, but just also to have fun and to forget about other problems in their life :')) I'm so proud of my boys! <3
> 
> I appreciate everyone still reading and commenting! It's so great to hear your thoughts! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A voice suddenly interrupted them as Tadashi noticed the black-haired boy leaning against the fence separating the neighboring houses. That was Kageyama Tobio, Tadashi remembered.

Tadashi woke up first from the uncomfortably hard surface that he immediately recognized wasn’t his bed.

At another time he would have been frightened by the human sleeping next to him on the sofa, but blond hair and the pale, delicate skin were too familiar now. They both must have been tired after the three late nights and busy days. The snacks and the DVD case on the table reminded him of another thing from last night- what Kei had talked to him about.

In the borrowers’ world, the social circles borrowers lived in most of their lives were too small for profound, complex relationships to form. It was very common for borrowers to only live with in a family of two parents and their children; no neighbors, friends or even relatives nearby. It was considered lucky to find a companion who you could start your own family with easily, it might take years and multiple adventures to even see others of their kind.

That’s why there had never been any need for a title like ‘best friends’ in Tadashi’s life because he knew who his few friends were. There was no point in choosing the best one. But after what Kei had told him and what Tadashi could feel in himself, he now understood what the concept was about. Not about choosing someone who you wanted as your greatest friend, but being best friends was a natural course of a relationship that was so deep and understanding that in some ways other friendships couldn’t compare to it.

That’s how it felt with Kei. Tadashi wasn’t sure if the human’s conception of best friends was something different, but felt natural and good. Tadashi noticed that he’d be very disappointed if they were anything less than this new title they put on their friendship.

The thought made him feel so content, like something was bubbling inside him that he wanted to let out to the whole world. He didn’t know why it felt so new and exciting to him, he had had friends before, people he loved with all his heart, but Tadashi felt like this was special, in some way different to any other relationship in his life.

He didn’t know how he had found his best friend in a human, against all borrower instincts and traditions, but it felt so right. And, maybe, friendships of this level were only able to form by crossing boundaries and uniting different walks of life. The gap between their two worlds was only growing smaller and smaller in Tadashi’s mind.

A brief thought of how he could even explain this to other borrowers, if borrowers could understand and form friendships like this if they just weren’t so isolated from each other, flashed in his mind as the blond on his side stirred and opened his eyes.

Tadashi uttered him a cheery ‘Good morning’ and laughed when Kei looked just as stiff as Tadashi had felt a few minutes ago. Kei seemed to finally register where he was a few minutes after and started mumbling how his mother and Akiteru would be back home for lunch today.

Tadashi accepted it with a smile. He didn’t mind the humans returning- it was _their_ house in the end. This wasn’t his home and not his life to live and he looked forward to returning to Yachi at the attic anyway. The thought of having to hide and sneak around was only pleasant and familiar but it hung darkly over the fact that it meant less time and freedom with Kei.

When they finally got up from the couch (their backs screaming to be stretched), Tadashi returned to his own home to change into a fresh set of clothing as Kei took a shower. He came back down to eat left-over fruit and fries for breakfast as they had planned.

A few hours later as Tadashi took care of some errands in the morning (like carried the rest of the food to the attic) he noticed that Kei had disappeared from inside the house. As Tadashi went looking for him, he found the boy outside in their yard, bouncing a yellow and blue ball on his fingertips. Tadashi remembered Akiteru doing the exact same thing sometime in the past, but the ball had been untouched for weeks now. It was a mystery to him why Kei had now decided to pick the ball up again.

“Tsukki, what are you doing?” He questioned, a bit sorry for having caught the boy off guard as Kei immediately stopped.

“Oh, it’s..” Kei twirled the ball in his fingers. “This is a volleyball. It’s that sport I’ve played for a long time, if you remember. It’s played by bouncing the ball in your fingers from one teammate to another and not letting it drop on the ground.” He continued throwing the ball up above his head.

Kei looked taller and thinner than Tadashi had ever noticed, but somehow he looked so cool. The ease with which Kei threw the ball up in only his fingers was mesmerizing and his concentration and precision captivating.

“You can only touch the ball like this..” Kei explained and tossed the ball with his fingers. “..or like this.” The ball suddenly dropped to Kei’s out-stretched arms but bounced up, just as high as last time.

“That’s so cool!” Tadashi exclaimed as Kei captured the ball into his hands. “We have some sports too, or more like games, but that looks very fun.” Tadashi smiled up at the boy.

Kei looked at him for a while and then walked away. Tadashi watched in wonder as he walked quickly inside the house and then came back with something in his palm.

“Here. Try it.” Kei handed him a blueberry which Tadashi remembered seeing in their fridge, and it honestly didn’t make any sense at first, but then Kei picked up his own ball again and started instructing Tadashi.

The first overhand set made the blueberry drop right into Tadashi’s face, but luckily, he was saved from a blueberry shower. The small berry was light enough to toss, but a bit too tense and squishy to handle in his hands. The bump set he tried ended up smashing the berry into mush as Kei tried to hold in his laughter behind his hand.

Yachi could always try to replicate this _volleyball_ to him and Tadashi could try the game for real, but the effort that Kei put into showing him his obviously dear hobby was worth it to get covered in blueberry. It seemed like so much fun, too.

“You’re looking cheerful.” A voice suddenly interrupted them as Tadashi noticed the black-haired boy leaning against the fence separating the neighboring houses. _That was Kageyama Tobio,_ Tadashi remembered.

Luckily, Tadashi only needed to take a few steps and jump into the grass without Kageyama noticing anything, while he turned to see Kei with no other expression on his face, if not for the utter disdain for the neighbor and teammate who had appeared.

“How long have you been standing there?” Kei spat and couldn’t look at the other boy.

“Don’t worry, I just came here. I don’t really care how you spend your days. I don’t need to boost _my_ ego by keeping a watch on what others are doing instead of focusing on what _I’m_ doing.”

Tadashi peeked from among the grass at the stranger. Kageyama sounded irritated but not mocking. But even if he was just trying to take a jab at Kei and point out his wrong behavior, Tadashi could tell that it would only aggravate Kei even more.

“Who the hell do you think you are? I wasn’t the only one making mistakes and I didn’t see you in your best condition either. I thought you were supposed to be the king of the court, but maybe you should check your own attitude before you come after mine!” Kei stormed off inside his house and Kageyama watched him leave with a disappointed scowl on his face.

Kei was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists as he passed Tadashi. The sight before him of a hurt and upset boy reminded Tadashi too much of the rainy afternoon and he gasped inaudibly.

“Tsukki.” He called after the boy. Tadashi didn’t know what he wanted to convey, whether it was to tell the boy to be brave or to comfort, but it made Kei stop at the door.

The teary golden eyes turned to search for Tadashi in the grass and met the sorrowful brown ones. Tadashi couldn’t help worrying that Kei would sink back into his head where Tadashi couldn’t reach him and return to lie on his bed for days.

“Okay, I get it!” Kei suddenly shouted into the air, to him, Kageyama or to himself. To Tadashi’s surprise, Kei turned back around and did not continue into the house. Kageyama was also looking wide-eyed at the blond as he continued speaking.

“I was wrong for blaming you or anyone else for our loss. There!” He flailed his arms. “I played like shit too, so I was more frustrated at myself than anyone else. And you still annoy me so much sometimes that I took it all out on you. I’m sorry for that.” He shouted from the porch, rubbed the back of his neck and couldn’t meet Kageyama’s surprised eyes. Tadashi was quietly celebrating in the cover of the grass.

Kageyama scoffed playfully. “Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He smirked and just as Kei was about to snap again, he continued. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry that I haven’t tried to really even get along with you too. Do you wanna spike for me?” Kageyama gestured towards the volleyball at Kei’s feet.

Kei eyed the other before answering, irritation still dripping from his voice. “Fine.”

Tadashi had returned to the attic when the tossing and spiking seemed to continue for a while. Though, there he could observe the two boys in the garden of the neighboring house better. The same drill repeated multiple times as Kageyama threw the ball to Kei who slammed it into the ground or back to Kageyama’s arms. They talked in between the rallies, obviously jabbing and teasing each other, but in the end they both had satisfied smiles on their faces.

“Oh, hey Kei, Tobio-kun!” Tadashi glanced to the other side of the yard, where Mrs. Tsukishima and Akiteru just arrived and greeted the two boys with knowing smiles on their faces. “How nice of you to be out on this sunny day!” She commented and the rest of the Tsukishima family came inside the house.

Tadashi watched as the bell went up again and slammed into the ground. He didn’t know why the scene made him feel strange and brought up a certain hollowness in his chest. He had wanted Kei to figure his relationship with this boy out ever since he heard they had fought, and was happy that Kei had made progress. But he couldn’t shake off the small part of him that hoped he could join Kei too and be a part of the fun, instead of watching Kei’s life from afar.

It was at that time that Shouyou decided it was a good time to come visit them again, waving from the tree under the attic window.

“Hey Yamaguchi!” He greeted when the boy pulled him inside the house. “Wow, did you see those two?” He looked back out of the window as Kei and Kageyama had switched to tossing the ball to each other now.

Tadashi giggled at the sight. “Yeah, I can’t believe they actually get along.” He smiled, but Shouyou looked confused.

“Oh, I guess. But I was talking about that sport! I’ve only seen Kageyama playing with the ball alone at home, but I’ve never seen that.. that WOOSH and BAMM! Tsukishima just slammed the ball into the ground!” Shouyou’s eyes glowed and his arms mimicked the motions Kei had made. “I want to play it soo bad too!”

Tadashi laughed at how desperate Shouyou looked, always jumping up and down already, and promised him that Yachi could make them a volleyball. Shouyou was already deciding on a time and date as they headed to the borrowers’ house.

“Hinata-kun! So nice to see you! Have you liked the volleyball net I made you last time?”

This was the first time Tadashi was hearing about this, but he should’ve known Shouyou had _already_ talked about this to Yachi as the two continued exchanging pleasantries.

“My mom wanted to give you some bread that she made.” He handed the little loaf to Tadashi. “It’s the rest of what my mom made for us for the trip, so you should eat it tonight!” He exclaimed, bouncing around the kitchen.

“W-What? Is your father already ready?”

“Yeah! Didn’t I already say this? Sorry! He wants to leave tomorrow when the weather’s good, first thing in the morning so you still have a lot of time to pack.”’

Tadashi was much less excited than he thought he would be. They chatted a little longer with Shouyou about the journey and Hinata’s family, how Yachi would survive at home all alone (which Yachi only rolled her eyes at), until it was getting dim outside. Shouyou gave last instructions to Tadashi of where they’d meet, just at the break of dawn the next day and then he was gone again.

Tadashi was left sitting at their dining table alone, a cold cup of unfinished tea in his hands. _This was supposed to be Tadashi’s dream_. He had always wanted to explore more of this world and to not settle down before he found his parents and was with his family. He wanted to find his purpose in life, something he was supposed to do, and he had been certain that he’d find it only outside this house. _Had been_.

If he ever wanted to have a life of his own, one that _he_ chose and could be proud of, he needed to find _himself_ first. Even if he loved all the people around him, Yachi wasn’t his real family, although a great and dear friend. Shouyou and his family were just their neighbors who he cared for very much, but neither of these were his real family. He shouldn't let these people keep him down and from finding a meaning in his life by traveling.

And Kei wasn’t his family. He was a _human_.

But why was it breaking his heart to reject and leave these people behind, when it was only logical, _even unavoidable_?

_So, why didn’t he want to leave?_

He packed his bag with all the things Shouyou’s father advised him to and set it on his bed. He should’ve gotten some sleep before the early morning, even though Yachi was still clattering in her work shop, trying to improve the oil lamp she was giving to Tadashi for the trip.

He tried to sleep, but every time his thoughts kept waking him up until he finally got up from bed.

He slipped into the walls and tip-toed to Kei’s room, uncertain if the boy was still awake. The bed-light lamp that was still shining gave him an answer.

He got to the edge of the bed until Kei noticed him, scrolling his phone on his side.

“Hey, Tadashi.” He smiled. “What have you been doing? I feel like I haven’t seen you in days.”

Tadashi laughed at the irony. _Kei had better get used to it for now._ “How was it with Kageyama?” He asked as Kei offered to bring him up to the bed as had become a habit.

“It was okay, I guess. He wasn’t as irritating as I remembered.” Kei smirked slightly.

“That’s great.” Tadashi said but he wasn’t feeling it. Though, seeing Kei smile was a reward enough for not being able to spend the whole day with the boy like usual. He wondered when _that_ had become a habit. And why it hurt him so much to break it.

“Are you okay? You look really gloomy right now.” Kei pouted. “Is it because I spent the whole afternoon with Kageyama?” He pouted harder, but Tadashi had to stop it right away.

“Of course not. I’ve had you all to myself for many days already. It’s fine.” Kei looked a bit unbelieving but he let the borrower continue. “Actually, tomorrow I’ll leave with a couple of other borrowers for a trip. We try to find other borrowers and see if anyone’s heard about our parents. We’ve planned this for a while now, but I didn’t really even remember it until today. Sorry, Tsukki.” He sounded so sad and sorry. He wanted to cry but it seemed too much. He had been reminded of a few things today that he'd rather have ignored. _He’d find new friends, even a best friend of his own kind if Tadashi ever left for good._

“Are you coming back?” Kei asked with a stern voice. No anger or sadness was heard in his voice, but Tadashi detected a concerned tremble in it.

“Yeah, in a week or so. Yachi will be left alone but I think she’ll manage. I hope you’d still keep an eye out for her, since she can be a bit neurotic about things like this sometimes.” Tadashi answered, slightly confused. Kei let out a deep breath and finally released his concerned pout.

“Sure. If it’s a week, I’ll let you go.” He teased, leaning on his hand on the bed.

“And otherwise, you wouldn’t?” Tadashi questioned amused, but didn’t expect to hear Kei answer “Yes, I probably wouldn’t.” The words made something in Tadashi’s chest twist again, much harder than before.

“Wouldn’t you need a human hand on your trip? I’d be a lot faster.” Kei inspected him, now a hint of sadness in his brows.

“I don’t think it’s a place humans can enter or should go to.” Tadashi smiled a bit sadly. To his surprise Kei reached a hand up from the bed.

He patted Tadashi’s head with gentle movements. “Then I’ll expect you to bring me some souvenirs, when you get back.” He placed his index finger on Tadashi’s shoulder and stroked the tensed shoulder companionably.

The touch gave Tadashi more comfort than anything other in that moment could have and strength to try and keep himself together for a little longer. He wasn’t about to be replaced or forgotten like he had feared. _Kei would wait for him to come back._

But before letting himself break, he grabbed onto those fingers on his shoulder and wrapped them tightly in his embrace, hugging the index and middle finger of the blond. Kei’s thumb moved onto rubbing his arm as it was Tadashi’s turn to take deep breaths as he fought the tears.

“We’ll see each other soon, right?” Kei spoke in a soft voice. Tadashi could only nod to him as he tightened his grip of the boy’s fingers.

When he finally let go, Kei moved to carefully catch a stray tear on Tadashi’s cheek and drew his hand back. He smiled at Tadashi as the borrower jumped off the bed and disappeared into the shadows.

“See you, Tsukki.” He whispered into the room and barely saw his way back upstairs from the tears he couldn’t hold back anymore.

Tadashi had barely slept when Yachi came to get him up from his bed and to eat some breakfast before he left. He didn’t remember much of the morning, until he was already at the window and returned Yachi’s tight by hug. The first red rays of sun rose from over the garden as Tadashi met up with Shouyou and his dad under the tree. Shouyou looked like death warmed over, but both his travel companions carried huge bags on their backs and gave him a cheery greeting. Mr. Hinata guided them away from the Tsukishima’s yard and they headed to the fields over the road, a boat waiting them at the ditch across it.

And for the second time in his life, Tadashi didn’t know where he was going or what was waiting there for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just when everything was going so well, they become separated again :((
> 
> I wanted this chapter to just take a look at Tadashi's feelings and how he now saw his and Kei's relationship. I'd even say he's more invested in their friendship, because he has more to lose and because he obviously sees that he has to fight for a place in Kei's life, while Kei lives in a world where Tadashi doesn't belong, or at least Tadashi thinks so. That's why he takes it so hard, when he sees Kei getting friendly with Kageyama and realizes that even if he would leave, Kei's life would just continue on. But I guess we'll see if their friendship can survive the test of separation ;))  
> Also, Tsukishima has really made some progress from the last time he saw Kageyama ^^ Tadashi might not even realize how big of an influence he had on that fact :')
> 
> Thank you everyone for commenting and leaving kudos! <3 We're getting to a sort of climax part of the story soon, and I can't wait ^^


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei got up from the bed, disoriented after a restless night, and only when he had gotten to the window and looked outside, did he remember that Tadashi was gone now.
> 
> Even if the realization changed nothing, the fact that their habit had finally become broken felt strange to Kei. Like his life was somehow paused or was off its course, one beat out of rhythm.

Kei woke up as his mother called his name for him to come eat breakfast. He got up from the bed, disoriented after a restless night, and only when he had gotten to the window and looked outside, seeing the garden where their herbs and sunflowers were growing steadily, did he remember that Tadashi was gone now.

Even if the realization changed nothing, the fact that their habit had finally become broken felt strange to Kei. Like his life was somehow paused or was off its course, one beat out of rhythm.

And the routine changed once more, back to the old, boring one where Kei locked himself in his room and avoided all unnecessary human contact. He slumped back to his bed and prepared himself for a long day of scrolling on his phone and checking the news, over and over again.

The more he tried to distract himself from thinking of how bored he was, the more he felt it. And the more he tried to push back the thoughts of Tadashi, the more he thought of him.

He wasn’t just bored, but he was.. lonely. It felt completely irrational that he had spent years enjoying his time alone, and he still did, but not in these quantities. He had also never felt lonely when Tadashi was still in the house, even if the boy wasn’t right by his side.

Tadashi was a comforting presence. He was reassuring, kind and thoughtful, he often pushed Kei out of his comfort zone and made him face things he couldn’t face alone.

But his presence didn’t just make the cool blond calm, but Tadashi made Kei laugh like he hadn’t in years, get excited about small things that otherwise would’ve felt insignificant and feel happy about himself and his achievements and the small acts of kindness Tadashi showed him. The rare but meaningful touches when he lifted Tadashi onto a table or his bed, when Tadashi sat on his shoulder and the way Tadashi listened to the little conversations Kei wanted to have with him, were a sign that they relied on each other.

At those kinds of moments, Kei should’ve noticed how much he’d miss them when the moments were gone. It had only been half a day but he missed the freckled cheeks, the wide, bright smile and the endless excitement he wanted in his life.

But for now he had to wait, because Tadashi was going to come back. If not for Kei’s sake, then he knew that Tadashi wouldn’t leave Yachi here alone.

So, he continued scrolling on his phone and trying to kill the time with any means he could.

The first two days were awful, though. Kei didn’t feel like going out of his room at all as he watched movies, read books and listened to music in his room. He was tired of it after the first day, but he did not have the motivation to do something about it. No, he was too bored, and thus irritated all the time, to try anything else.

It was frustrating, staying at home when he didn’t even know where Tadashi was or had no way to contact him. He caught himself worrying for the safety of the small borrower way too many times in the first days. Who knew what the world looked like from that height?

“You’ve been acting different for a couple of days, Kei.” His mother pried when Kei stomped downstairs to make himself some snack.

He almost wanted to laugh. Even if he had been hiding Tadashi all this time, he couldn’t hide his own feelings, could he? Or maybe his mother was just a super human, like all mothers.

He felt a bit pathetic for letting his feelings out so openly, when he had wanted to keep them to himself, only to share them with Tadashi. Though, he was also feeling pathetic for going back to his old ways the minute Tadashi had left. Kei felt like he had changed for the better, even become happier, but _was he really not strong enough without Tadashi?_

He knew Tadashi had been the reason he pushed himself to be stronger, but he had wished that it had _actually_ made him stronger and that he could have made some progress after a long time of only downhill, mistakes and regrets.

He went to sleep that night, thinking of how he could prove to Tadashi that he had grown. Maybe that way he could actually get somewhere and finally manage to stand on his own feet. If he couldn’t do it for Tadashi, all that Tadashi had done for him would be in vain.

And Kei didn’t find anything _more pathetic_ in this world than disappointing Tadashi.

The next few days he started trying. He took small steps, barely noticeable to anyone outside of their family, but it took a lot for Kei to admit to himself that he had to move forward.

He started helping around the house again, cleaning, washing dishes and cooking with his mother. He tried to not snap at Akiteru so often and tried to ask about his new job, which was honestly already testing his limits of Akiteru's company.

Kei started going outside more, to get some fresh air to clear his mind. His room was his safe place but also like a prison for his mind, where only negative thoughts went round and round. He went shopping, jogged and tended the garden. He hadn’t noticed how often Kageyama seemed to do similar things and Kei took as his new challenge to always greet his teammate when he saw the boy on the other side of the fence. After a few times, Kageyama even began answering him.

On the fifth day, he and Kageyama tossed to each other for a few hours again and promised they’d look at their summer homework the next day together. It was no replace for Tadashi but Kageyama seemed more tolerable every day.

He remembered another request he hadn’t filled yet either- Tadashi’s request. When the house was silent that day, his mother shopping and his brother in his room, Kei climbed up to the attic and started whispering Yachi’s name.

After only a few calls, the girl carefully peeked from behind another cardboard box of their old things.

“Hey. How are you doing?” Kei crouched down to the floor. Tadashi had told him it was way less intimidating than having to stare up at a human. “Has everything been alright?”

Yachi looked at him confused. “Everything’s fine! Why are you asking that? Is there something wrong?”

“No.” Kei shook his head and chuckled. “Tadashi just asked me to keep an eye on you. I wanted to check that you’re fine.”

A small smile spread on Yachi’s lips. “Yes, yes! You’ve got nothing to worry!” The girl exclaimed but then, her stomach rumbled. Kei burst into laughter and offered the embarrassed girl a small package of bread, fruit and cheese.

“Well, good thing I brought you this.” Kei smirked.

Yachi carried the delicious food inside their house as Kei had gone back downstairs, greeting his mother who had just arrived.

Yachi hadn’t expected to see the blond human come to see her, but the more she had learned of him, the more she felt like she could trust him. He was quite stiff and unexpressive but his actions spoke of a kind heart.

Kei seemed to be really happy to help her too as he had promised to bring more food the next day too. That’s why Yachi was very surprised when the good, calm atmosphere in the house suddenly changed the next day and Kei didn’t bring her more food.

She didn’t mind, maybe the boy had forgotten, but she was more worried about the tense atmosphere and the shouting that was coming from downstairs. Yachi preferred to leave the humans problems for themselves to solve, but she was worried when it was clearly once again Kei shouting against Akiteru while their mother tried to shush the family.

“It’s unfair!” Yachi heard Kei shouting from downstairs. “You can’t decide something like this without me.”

Akiteru’s voice was even louder and scarier as he shouted “This is not for you to decide” as a slam of Kei’s bedroom door echoed up to the attic.

The tense atmosphere continued for the rest of the night in the house. Yachi tried to listen to any signs of what the whole situation was about but the conversation seemed to be over for today.

Yachi knew how close Tadashi and Kei had grown and she could so clearly see the new-found vigor, motivation and joy in Tadashi’s demeanor.

She had been worried for his dear childhood friend for all these years, because she knew how much Tadashi did for them both. They complemented each other inside the house, but she knew that Tadashi was basically risking his life every day when he went outside or inside the house. She also knew how much Tadashi would have loved the freedom and the adventures of exploring the world, if he had the chance, but also how much Tadashi feared losing anything in his life because of what happened with their family. It was a wonder that the boy had even agreed to leave Yachi alone in this house, though the reason was most likely his trust in Kei.

And Tadashi had asked Kei to look after her, very typical to the caring boy, but she knew the favor should’ve gone both ways. For Tadashi’s sake, it was Yachi’s responsibility to look after Kei too and to offer him what little help she could. Especially now that Kei didn’t have someone like Tadashi to talk to.

It took her all night to prepare for her first own adventure. She packed a bag of food and first-aid tools, a rope and hooks that she knew Tadashi always used. She _had_ made all these stuff for Tadashi, in the end, and was positive that she knew how to use them.

When the morning sun started to make its appearance, first shining its rays to the attic, Yachi slid down the elevator and tried to navigate her way to Kei’s room.

Somewhere along the way she must have mistaken the way, since she soon did find herself in a bedroom but it didn’t look the way Yachi remembered. She quietly climbed onto the desk in the room to locate where she was, when she noticed that someone was still in the bed. And it wasn’t Kei.

In panic, Yachi dropped one of her shoes as she ran back to the edge of the table. She was about to lower herself down the her rope when the human stirred in the bed and she slipped in panic.

She was lucky to fall from the table into something soft, but when she lifted her head, tall walls of fabric surrounded her. She must have fallen to a backpack on the floor.

Before she could try to climb out, an alarm clock went off.

❁❁❁

On the first few days Tadashi and the two Hinatas had crossed over a field and arrived to a small stream. The water flowed slowly enough that the borrowers could hop onto a boat made of some kind of floating human shoe and started drifting along the calm water.

It _was_ the kind of adventure Tadashi had always dreamed of. Only now, he actually had his own guide and didn’t need to worry about getting lost or getting separated from his loved ones. Shouyou’s father had gone through their plan many times already and made sure that everyone knew what they were doing. He wanted to enjoy his time, and it _was_ liberating to travel outside his usual habitat but also made him worry for the people he’d left behind. As Shouyou’s father kept navigating ahead of them, he and Shouyou were able to just enjoy the views and were tasked to keep the boat straight.

Their boat seemed to attract small animals and birds that Tadashi and Shouyou kept identifying to pass the time. The stream took them through a forest, a few fields and some farms and they camped near the stream every night. The stream took them toa new village which had been their destination. There Shouyou’s father would take them to meet some borrower families he knew lived there.

Shouyou’s father inspected the maps as they ate some dinner, the sun already set behind the forest they’d just exited.

Tadashi didn’t know how far they were from their homes already. He wondered if Kei had ever been here.

“The neighborhood we’re visiting the day after tomorrow might have some good places to move to.” Shoyou’s father spoke out loud. “The area is very small and quiet, very rural and there are a lot of old houses where you could find places for borrowers.”

Tadashi just listened to the man’s words in silence and nodded hesitantly. He hadn’t forgotten the other reason of this trip and the fact that it was wise to move soon. The thought twisted inside Tadashi’s chest into a painful grip around his heart.

“Are you really going to move, Yamaguchi?” Shouyou looked at him with sad eyes. “Then we’ll be left all alone again, even though we just found you a couple of months ago.” He pleaded.

“I’m not sure yet. It would be wise, especially if we find some clues and could get closer to our parents that way, but.. that place is our home too. It’s not just the house but I’ve really enjoyed staying with the Tsukishima’s. They let us live peacefully and provide for us and..” He didn’t know if he should say anything more. He wasn’t sure how these borrowers might react if the heard he and Kei had become friends. It wasn’t forbitten to contact humans, but it certainly had its risks, especially when there was another family living so close by.

“I understand, there’s nothing wrong with that.” Shouyou’s father answered him. “I’ve been living in that same house for my whole life and so did my father. I know the area so well, because I’ve been exploring it for as long as I can remember. And I have also seen the human family in that house grow. It certainly feels like I’m sharing my life with them, I’m happy for their happiness and so on. I’d miss them very much if they ever moved away. But that bond has to end somewhere too. Whatever we think, this world is biased and unfair for us, and if we give too much power or trust to humans, we will usually just end up losing something ourselves.” The older man spoke seriously. Soon enough, he started joking cheerily again like he always did and Shouyou joined him.

Tadashi kept mostly quite until they all went to sleep. He climbed into the wool sock Yachi had made into a sleeping bag for him.

Shouyou’s father’s words played inside his head as he tried to sleep, though. Would he really be able to find a new home? Could he start a life all over again with Yachi, and to leave Kei behind for good? He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be losing because of their friendship when so far it had only given him so much.

He wondered where his and Kei’s bond ended, as sleep finally took him.

The days went by fast as they finally reached the village and stayed with a borrower family there. Their main objective had been accomplished so they set out back home the day after that. It was still so exciting to meet other borrowers for Tadashi who had lived in almost complete isolation from his people his whole life.

They traveled back along the stream that flowed to the opposite direction. It brought them even closer to home, but still took them two days.

Before Tadashi knew it, he was already saying goodbye to his two travel-companions and climbed back up the tree to the attic. They had walked the whole morning and the sun was already up, but he figured that Kei might still be sleeping, even if he spotted Akiteru leaving the house for work already.

He arrived in their home, fully expecting Yachi to already be up in her work space but the house was unusually quiet. He walked around and didn’t find the girl anywhere. She could be searching for new treasures at the attic, but he wanted to see her and make sure everything had gone well the past week.

“Yachi!” He listened for an answer, but when none came he started to worry. He spent some more time running around the room and trying to look for any spots where his friend might be hiding in. Because any other possibility was incomprehensible.

But Yachi was gone, somewhere, and Tadashi had no idea where or what could have happened. He noticed that Yachi’s bag and some of his tools were gone and only hoped that she had just went into the house to get some food for herself and was safe.

But he couldn’t relax until he knew for sure, and he needed help with it.

He rushed through the familiar path to one of the bedrooms in the house. He barely made sure the coast was clear until he already started shouting for his best friend.

“Tsukki! Wake up!” He neared the bed as Kei sleepily lifted his head from the bed.

“Tadashi?” Kei’s eyes were barely open but he lifted himself up, a small smile on his lips.

“Yachi is gone!” He screamed and Kei’s eyes opened wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no, what on earth could have happened to Yachi? And what had Kei and Akiteru fought about? Hmmm...
> 
> I think it was important that they have some time to think about their own lives apart to truly see each other's impact in it:)) I'd assume that they have a lot to think and talk about now that Tadashi's back again, but unfortunately they won't be having much time to talk rn ^^
> 
> Hope you're still enjoying reading my updates! I finally finished writing the rest of the fic too ^^ Kudos and comments on what you think are appreciated! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She could be anywhere! If a borrower gets lost, there’s a huge chance that they’ll never come back, because there are so many dangers in this world for us."
> 
> Kei hadn’t really realized how easy it was for such a small creature to vanish into the vast world, how the very ordinary things in his life were deadly in Tadashi’s. Tadashi’s face twisted in fear and panic, now that he had lost the only thing he had left of any kind of family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rescue for Yachi begins!
> 
> Enjoy!<3

“Have you seen her?” Tadashi kept crying out, while Kei tried to interpret the words with his brain that was just getting started up.

He remembered meeting Yachi a few days ago, though that was plenty of time for the girl to just vanish in the big house or outside it. He was supposed to bring her the food he had promised the day prior and couldn’t narrow down the time of her disappearance that way either. His head had been so full of other things that day, like the news he had received from his mother, that he had just now remembered.

Though, that didn’t justify that he had broken his promise to Tadashi, in the worst possible way.

“I don’t know. I saw her two days ago and everything was fine. Where could she have gone?” Kei tried staying rational, knowing that Yachi wouldn’t voluntarily leave anywhere. The other possibility, that something had happened to her, Kei couldn’t voice in front of his distressed best friend.

“She could be anywhere! If a borrower gets lost, there’s a huge chance that they’ll never come back, because there are so many dangers in this world for us. She could be stuck somewhere or fallen off a table and unconscious, she could be attacked by an animal or just lost inside this house…”

Kei hadn’t really realized how easy it was for such a small creature to vanish into the vast world, how the very ordinary things in his life were deadly in Tadashi’s. Tadashi’s face twisted in fear and panic, now that he had lost the only thing he had left of any kind of family.

Kei recognized those feelings very well, if not at the amplitude they were now washing over Tadashi.

He knew what it felt like to be completely alone, when the last trust he had in the world was trembled on and thrown away. He remember how Akiteru had lied to him, the only person he thought he could never lose in a life where everyone else rejected him. And how he had never understood why no one wanted to be his friend and had avoided him when he only ever acted in a way that wouldn’t get him hurt again.

Beyond the panic and disbelief on Tadashi’s face, there was something even worse, something that suffocated the little hope that could survive panic but not _self-hatred_. And Kei never believed, never had hoped to see something like that in Tadashi’s bright eyes. That feeling of failing yourself and everyone around you, the people that most mattered to you, was so draining that no amount of wise words or the tiny hope that it would be okay, could ever suppress it.

Tadashi had clearly faced these same emotions when he had been separated from his parents and forced to learn to live on his own. The panic, worry and incompetence that was almost tangible in Tadashi’s expressions and body language wasn’t something _new_ , but feelings suppressed for years, only fearing for the moment they might surface again. Kei recognized that much.

“What if I’ll never see her again? What if she’s somewhere in need of help and I’ll just never find her? Someone like me can’t do anything for her.” Tadashi kneeled on the floor, his energy finally run out from the shouting. What was left, was only frustrated tears and desperate attempts to grasp onto something that could still keep him up. “I can’t lose her, not like this. It’s all my fault..” Tadashi’s words were quiet, probably not meant for anyone else than the fire feeding into his self-doubt inside him.

But Kei decided that he wouldn’t let that fire grow. Not within someone like Tadashi, who deserved everything in this world and was loyal and kind to a fault.

Being thrown right back to the starting line was the most devastating and discouraging feeling, but Kei knew from experience the only way to get better was to get back up. And he’d do it for Tadashi, not even because he had to, but because he wanted to.

Kei lowered himself to the floor, still in his pyjamas and kneeled down in front of Tadashi.

“Hey,” he tried to get Tadashi’s attention from what must have been very loud thoughts replaying in the borrower’s head. Kei caressed Tadashi’s back gently and that seemed to do the trick for now. “It was not your fault. We don’t even know what happened.” He wanted to talk softly, reassuringly, but his vocal chords were not trained for such emotions, so the words came out determined and strict. It didn’t seem to bother Tadashi, though.

“But I shouldn’t have..” Tadashi started again, tears flowing down his cheeks, red from crying. Kei stopped the sentence right away, carefully wiping the tears away with his thumb.

“No, Tadashi. We are going to find her.” He didn’t know how impossible that promise yet was, but right now it felt like the only possible outcome. _It had to be_. “You are not alone, because I will help you. It might be a big world for you and for Yachi but I _know_ this world and I know it’s going to be alright. We’ll figure out something.”

The words slipped from his lips so easily. They became true as he uttered them, something he had never dared to do before. Whenever he had felt like the world was too cruel and unfair to him, he never admitted that there was still something to be done about it. Why had he never once _fought_ to change it, like he was now going to fight for Tadashi, Kei wondered.

He had at least distracted the borrower enugh to stop his crying. The freckled boy chewed on his bottom lip and stayed silent for a while and then stood up. The motion made Kei straighten his back too.

“Are you really going to help me? Do you think we’ll find her?” Tadashi was back on his feet, literally, but his face still carried a deep worry.

At the face of such vulnerability and genuine trust, Kei lost some of his confidence but still answered with an assured voice. “Of course we will. We’ll do everything we can.” He waited, shoulders tensed, until Tadashi visibly relaxed and his chewed-up lips turned up into a small smile.

“Thank you, Tsukki.” Tadashi sounded so tired, but it just meant that Kei needed to do even more to let Tadashi calm down for now. He let his friend step into his palm and brought the boy to his shoulder where he sat down, holding tightly onto Kei’s hair behind his ear.

“Let’s go to the attic to look for more clues first.” Kei spoke softly, Tadashi finally right next to him where he wanted to keep him. The borrower nodded and Kei began to calmly walk to the stairs leading up to the attic.

He searched below and inside the abandoned boxes in the attic as Tadashi once more went through their house. He told Kei that everything there was in order, Yachi had probably not been driven away from the house by a human or some other living thing (mice sometimes might try to gnaw their way inside their food stash), but her bag and clothes were gone, along with some simple tools like their rope.

After a thorough search in the attic, the pair descended back downstairs and looked around the rooms there. Kei looked through every cabin and even inside some bottles and jars, probably more thoroughly then during one of his mother's spring cleanings. Tadashi ran inside the walls, and Kei could hear him rustling and shouting there.

After an hour in the kitchen and living room, Kei brought them back to his bedroom and looked there. Tadashi was now too tired to even move from his shoulder, so Kei went ahead and placed the small boy on his pillow as the smaller boy started sniffling quietly again. Kei looked through his shelf and desk, and when he turned to continue in other rooms of the house, he noticed that Tadashi had fallen asleep.

The sight almost broke his heart as he placed one of his clean shirts to cover most of the trembling boy and walked out.

He wasn’t really ‘allowed’ to enter Akiteru’s room, but since he was at work and his mother at the store, he might as well check everywhere he could.

He had the displeasure of entering the room which was already disorganized and messy. Yachi could have been hiding or fallen into any one of the many piles of clothes, empty bags of chips or other useless things on the floor.

But she clearly hadn’t, because Kei found a tiny shoe at the edge of Akiteru’s desk, proving that the girl had been there. The relief almost made Kei's knees buckle, but they still managed to take him back into his room and to his bed.

“Tadashi.” He poked the head of the green-haired boy as the other stirred from his sleep and turned to look up. _He must have had a rough morning_. “I found something.”

They searched through Akiteru’s room together, finding more and more clues that Yachi had been there, since Tadashi was much better at searching for clues of a borrower. He showed Kei how he knew that Yachi had moved the tapestry of the wall when she came into the room, even finding the small dent from when Yachi had hooked her rope to the table.

“She was here, but there are no signs that she had left through any of the borrower entrances.” Tadashi concluded. “Either she left through the door or..”

“She must have left with Aki. Maybe she had to hide from him-”

“.. but then she was accidentally taken away. Akiteru always has a backpack when he goes to work!” Tadashi interrupted, a bit of brightness back in his eyes.

“It’s our best clue. We have to get to Akiteru’s work place.”

Kei swiftly put on something other than his pyjamas. The pocket of his shirt where the borrower had previously traveled in didn’t seem to be the most comfortable and definitely not fit for _two_ borrowers, so he borrowed an obnoxious fanny pack from his brother and let Tadashi climb inside there.

Though when they got outside the house, Kei realized he wasn’t sure how to get to Akiteru’s work place.

He knew that Akiteru worked at a sports equipment shop in the town. He first needed to get there and somehow find and get to Akiteru’s backpack, preferably without making Akiteru suspicious about it.

Anyway, he needed a ride. His mother wasn’t even home and had their car, and he wasn’t sure if she could’ve helped them. The bus took a pretty long time for a relatively short distance, but he figured it was their only chance.

Kei hated waiting, especially when they had a time limit as the lunch hour which was approaching fast. At lunch, Akiteru would most likely open his bag and see the girl inside, or the panicked girl would escape into the store, if she hadn’t already, and they’d lose their only clue.

“You going somewhere?” A voice he didn’t want to hear right now came from over the fence and Kei clutched the bag on his chest automatically to cover Tadashi inside it.

“None of your business.” He answered Kageyama, though it lacked the usual bite that he had almost lost in the last few times he’d spent time with his neighbor. He shuffled through his pockets casually to find some change, but there were only lint and candy wrappers there.

“Shit.” He muttered under his breath. _He didn’t have time for this._

“That bag really suits you.” Kageyama smirked at him amusedly.

“I literally don’t have time right now. I have to get going.” He turned to walk back inside.

“Oh, I can give you a ride, if you need to go somewhere.” Kageyama shouted after him with quite a neutral tone. He didn’t seem to be kidding or trying to fool Kei. But the blond didn’t turn back.

“No, thanks.” He shouted back, cheerfully, until he felt a little jab on his chest, possibly from Tadashi’s elbow. He sighed loudly, assuring himself that he wouldn’t do this if he absolutely didn’t have to and turned around. “Fine..”

What Kei thought was going to be the car of Kageyama’s parents, turned out to be a white Vespa and two helmets.

“Oh, I’m not getting on that.” His face fell into a familiar frown.

“Well, you seem to be in a hurry, and my parents aren’t home. I’m allowed to drive my sister’s moped in case of emergencies.” He handed Kei the red helmet, while the setter put a black one on himself.

“This is ridiculous.” He huffed and got onto the saddle behind Kageyama. After Kageyama started the vehicle and they began cruising along the small roads, Kei didn’t feel that embarrassed anymore. They were going to get there quite fast as Kei shouted the other directions, and the ride was quite fun.

He smiled when he saw Tadashi peeking his head from the bag, clearly enjoying the ride too.

They finally arrived to the shop in just 15 minutes. It wasn’t that large, but Kei knew from his brother that there were about 5 people working all the time. He still wasn’t sure if he should just ask Akiteru about his backpack or try to sneak in and grab the bag.

“Oh, doesn’t your brother work here? I’ve been here a couple of times when he’s working.”

“Yeah, I just need something back from him, so you can go.” He handed the setter the helmet back.

“I’d believe that if you hadn’t been in such a hurry this morning and if you weren’t looking so constipated even now.” Kageyama chuckled. “What’s it really about?”

“I seriously need to get something from Aki.” Kei answered, more irritated now. “.. but he can’t find that out.”

Kageyama smirked again, and Kei had always thought he looked almost possessed when smiling like that.

“Sounds interesting. I’ll help.” When Kageyama said that, he felt Tadashi patting at his chest, clearly eager for Kei to accept the offer. Kageyama eyed the slightly moving bag on his chest, but seemed to let it go quickly.

“Fine. I have to get to his backpack, it’s probably be in the backroom of the shop. You could actually just keep an eye out for any employees while I go get.. what I need to get.”

“Alright.” Kageyama followed him into the shop.

There were a lot of sports, fitness and camping equipment, clothes and shoes. Kei had to pull Kageyama along so that the other wouldn’t get distracted by the volleyballs on the wall and they finally got to the backdoor of the building that said _‘Staff only_ ’.

Kei tried the door and it opened just by pushing, luckily not locked right now. He took a quick glance inside and saw a vacant hallway that held several doors. Before he could get in, a voice called out to him.

“Kei? What are you doing here?”

Both boys turned around quickly and Akiteru stood there in his silly bright-green work shirt that held the shop’s logo.

“Hey!” The younger brother squealed from surprise and both Kageyama and Akiteru raised their brows at the uncharacteristic sound.

“Where are you going? Is that my fanny pack?” Akiteru eyed the two and pointed at the bag on Kei.

“I wanted to go. To the bathroom, I mean. Me and Kageyama were just at the town and this was the closest place.” He lied on the spot.

“Well, you know you can use the bathroom with my permission, but not without me around.” He shook his head, as if Kei hadn’t known that. “We’re just heading for lunch in a few minutes, but I can let you in now and take my break a bit early, if you want.”

Akiteru moved closer to reach for the door and, just as Kei was about to shove him back and take a run for it, Kageyama stepped in front of the older Tsukishima.

“Actually.. I needed some help buying new.. shoes!” Kageyama looked around them and saw the nearest wall that was filled with pairs of shoes. Football boots.

Akiteru looked at the boy confused. “What do you need those for? You’re in Kei’s team.”

“Oh, they’re a present!” Kageyama began dragging Akiteru towards the shoes as Kei pretended to look for something else, but actually slipping past the backdoor and to the hallway.

Now, Tadashi seemed to feel safe enough to peek his upper body out of the bag. Kei swiftly passed the bathrooms that were clearly signed as such and looked inside the common room slash kitchen which was empty too, fortunately. There were no bags of the employees there, though.

He returned a few steps back to the only door left, which had to be a dressing room of some kind. He turned the handle of the door but stopped.

“Shit. It’s locked.” Kei spoke to the borrower.

“Maybe I can try to pick it. I have small hands that fit into locks.” Tadashi looked up at him from the bag.

“It’ll take too long. If not Akiteru, then one of his co-workers might be coming any minute. I can always explain to Aki that I need something from his bag, but he’s so petty he’ll never let me do it in secret.” He explained, trying to come up with some other ideas.

“Look!” Tadashi suddenly pointed to the floor. “I might be able to fit through the crack between the door and the floor.” Kei quickly let Tadashi down and the boy really did disappear under the door, just barely.

He couldn’t hear anything beyond the thick door, but he guessed that Tadashi would open the lock for him from inside if he could.

He tried to look casual (as if that could’ve helped), but in just a few seconds, the door to the store opened.

“Woah!” The employer got scared and almost fell back. “Excuse me, but you’re not supposed to be here.” The woman with short blond hair in her twenties, started ushering him out.

“No no, I was just waiting for my brother, Akiteru. He let me in to use the bathroom.” Kei explained as the woman guided him to the exit.

“Sorry, but he’s not exactly allowed to do that either. I’m going to ask you to wait outside.”

She gave Kei the final nudge and he was out of the hallway as more employees walked past him for their lunch break. As a sign of defiance, the blond woman locked the door theatrically.

He was locked out of the hallway, while Tadashi was in the dressing room, alone and probably already surrounded by employees. Trying to get to the backpack without Akiteru seemed impossible.

All he could do was wait for Tadashi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're just getting started, folks! ^^ Tadashi is seriously in a kind of bad situation, where he needs to prove to himself that even if he's small he can still take care of the people he cares about and save Yachi, even without Kei's help :)
> 
> Also, Tadashi is very much living his biggest fear again, of losing more of his loved ones. That's why he panics so much and feels pretty useless, because he hasnt been able to save his parents either so far.   
> Well, coincidentally, it's a good chance for Kei to prove his strength and loyalty to the borrowers and also to help Tadashi overcome his fears and thoughts of hopelessness, something no one before Tadashi had done for him :)))
> 
> Hope you're enjoying this more "action"-packed part of the story, and kudos and comments are very much appreciated! <3 I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen in the story as we're getting closer to the end ^^


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yachi.” He whispered once, than another time a bit louder. If she wasn’t there, he could just slip down and continue searching elsewhere.

Tadashi could barely see in the dark room. He made out a row of lockers on his left side and a bench on his right with a sink and a mirror next to it.

There were a lot of stuff in the room: jackets, backpacks and shoes all over the place and he was supposed to be quick.

“ _Sorry, but you’re not exactly allowed to do that either. I’m going to ask you to wait outside_.”

Tadashi heard an unknown voice from the hallway and understood that he couldn’t let Kei in anymore and that Kei wasn’t able to watch his back anymore. Even that neighbor Kageyama had volunteered to help them (he wasn’t sure how he and Kei got along so well) but that just meant there were even more people relying on him succeeding.

Just like Yachi was too.

He heard footsteps from the hallway and prayed that no one of them were heading to this dressing room.

“Yachi!” He dared to speak into the room, not too loudly. He listened for any sort of sign but there wasn’t one.

This whole plan was a long, long shot to actually find her, and Tadashi knew it. No matter how much Kei had convinced him that they it would work out, he understood himself that it might be a lost cause. This world was simply too big for him.

He quickly made his way to the few bags lying on the floor first. He couldn’t give up now when they had gotten so far. He knew that Kei wanted to find her too, but she was his _family_ , and Tadashi couldn’t even fathom giving up.

He kept calling her name just in case, because he knew Yachi would not answer, if she didn’t know it was safe to speak.

The bags were empty of borrowers as he peeked inside them. Next he made his way to the lockers, most of which were left slightly ajar. The first few didn’t have any backpacks in them, and no clothes that looked like they could’ve belonged to Akiteru.

He was about to check inside the next one, when the door to the room opened and two people came inside, chatting idly about whatever humans chatted about. Tadashi slipped inside the locker closest to him as one of the humans began going through their bag at the bench and another opened the locker right next to him. Well, at least he knew that locker wasn’t Akiteru’s then.

Nevertheless, he was inside a similar one and unable to continue his search until the humans left. He knew his time was running out and even more employers would arrive shortly to the staff room, making his escape harder.

He looked around inside the locker. There was a jacket on a hanger there, shoes on the floor of the locker, and he tried to remember if these pieces of clothes looked familiar to him.

And they did. It could’ve been a coincidence, but that just meant someone would’ve had the exact same kind of neon orange nike sneakers and that would’ve been just sad.

There was indeed a backpack hanging from a little hook in the locker, far above him. It hadn’t been opened so he believed there was a chance that Yachi could still be stuck inside.

If only he had brought himself a rope he would easily be able to climb onto the bag. His only way was up the jacket that he barely reached from the ground while standing on Akiteru’s shoes, but started climbing along it with every strength he got.

He was a good climber, though he was basically working on pure adrenaline at this point. Without any of his tools, falling down would be infinitely worse than with the rope.

He got to the same height with the backpack, but it was too far away for him to jump, especially when he wasn’t sure what he could’ve gotten a hold of the fabric there.

He looked up at the metal bar where the hanger was hanging from. If he got up there, he could try and jump onto the bag more securely. But the way was still long and he didn’t know if he had energy for it.

“Yachi.” He whispered once, than another time a bit louder. If she wasn’t there, he could just slip down and continue searching elsewhere.

“It’s Tadashi. Are you there?” He tried one last time when he hadn’t heard anything, other than the more distant chatter of the humans.

Just when he was about to give up, the backpack started wiggling, like someone was trying to get out of it. “Yamaguchi?” A small, scared voice answered him.

He felt relief rise in his throat and a huge weight slip from his shoulder at that sound. “Yes! Wait for me, I’m coming!” He wasted no more time to climb up and to the metal bar. It was slippery under his feet, but he managed to cross all the way, so the bag was right under him as he jumped down onto it.

The fabric yielded under his weight and he had to balance with his hands to stay upright. As soon as he regained his balance he pushed the zipper away and the pitch-black bag was lit up.

Besides the few t-shirts, a lunch bag and a water bottle, at the corner sat a small blond-haired girl, hugging her knees to her chest and cheeks stained red from crying.

“Hey.” He lowered himself inside the bag and took her in his embrace while Yachi hugged his back just as tightly. “It’s okay. We’re going to get home.” He smiled at her as Yachi recovered from the fear, finally feeling safe. It was still a long way to go, so she needed her courage too.

Tadashi regained his rope back from Yachi, which helped them lower themselves from the bag to the locker floor. Tadashi carefully made sure the coast was clear and lifted Yachi down from the locker and tried to head for the hallway which was their only way out.

They heard some talk from the hallway but luckily it seemed the employers were in the kitchen at the end of the hall now. He would’ve really wanted to just by picked up by Kei, but since the blond wasn’t in the hallway anymore they’d have to try and find him first.

They both managed to slip from under the door again, just like Tadashi had entered. Their next mission was to get back into the store from the hallway where there were no places to hide. They moved quickly along the walls to the door to the store, but they both already noticed that this door was much heavier and sturdier with not enough room to go under it.

“Should we just wait for someone to come in, and slip out at the same time?” Yachi whispered to him.

“Anyone can see us from here. We can’t wait for something like that.” Tadashi evaluated if he could somehow turn the handle of the door to open it, but he doubted it could be done with just two borrowers. “I think we should just return to Akiteru’s locker. We can hide there and Akiteru will take us back home in the afternoon.”

He tried to reason, but the scared look on Yachi’s face changed his mind. “I-It’s just.. so dark and.. I don’t want to go back..”

He could only try and open the door, then.

“Okay. Put my cloak on, at least that’s less suspicious-looking. I’ll pull myself up to the door handle with my rope and unlock it. You try to push the door when I say so.” It was definitely not one of his best ideas, but they couldn’t stay to find out how long it took until any more humans entered the hallway.

Yachi was left in the corner by the door to wait and Tadashi threw his rope over the door handle. He tied it on his waist and started pulling himself upwards, a skill he had to learn on his expeditions but to which he barely had enough strength for now.

Yachi looked at his attempts anxiously, until Tadashi finally managed to pull himself on top of the handle. Just as he was about to turn the lock on the door, he heard familiar voices coming from the other side of the door.

“I can go get it for you! Let me help!” It was clearly Kei’s voice, and the borrower felt a rush of relief. _He was still waiting for them._

“What the hell’s with you, Kei?” Akiteru’s voice said. “I can get my own lunch. And if Tanaka-san said that you’re not even allowed to come to the staff room, I’d think twice about not obeying her.”

Suddenly the door handle slipped from under Tadashi’s feet and the door swung open. He hoped that Yachi was still in the corner as Kei and Akiteru entered the hallway. He barely managed to catch himself from falling and was left hanging from the door handle now, his rope already slipping from the handle to the floor, the floor that was a drop of about ten times Tadashi’s height.

“I just need something from your backpack. I’ll come get it.”

He saw how Kei and Akiteru walked across the hallway to the door of the dressing room they had just left.

“Just wait here. I’ll get whatever you were looking for.” Akiteru disappeared into the other room and Kei stood behind him in the hallway, clenching his fists.

If only Tadashi could shout at the boy but Akiteru would hear his voice too. His strength after way too much exercise for one day were getting weaker.

Yachi seemed to just now notice his state as Tadashi hung from the door handle. Tadashi motioned with his head for her to escape through the slightly open door, but was surprised when she ran to the opposite direction.

“What do you even need?” Akiteru’s voice sounded from the other room as Kei stood frozen on the hallway.

Tadashi tried lifting himself up to his elbows on the handle but only kept slipping away. His hands were hurting from the rope-climbing. He looked behind him to see that Yachi had reached Kei now and was violently pulling on his pant sleeve.

“Oh.” Kei turned his look down, and in mere seconds scooped Yachi into his hand. “I think I forgot. It’s nothing.”

Akiteru seemed to whine something from the other room, but Tadashi could only focus on his fingers that weren’t going to hold onto the handle much longer.

His grip loosened in seconds and he was fully anticipating some broken ribs and a lot of bruises from his fall, but he barely got his eyes closed as a hand grabbed him from air and he was slipped into the same fanny pack he already knew.

❁❁❁

“Is something wrong, Kei? You’re acting really weird.” Akiteru had emerged to the hallway, holding his lunch box just as Kei pulled the zipper of his bag shut, both borrowers finally safe and sound with him.

“No, I just really wanted to use the bathroom.” Kei stated bored, but he was really forcing himself not to smile from the successful rescue mission. Akiteru sighed and told him to make it quick as Kei quickly strode to the bathroom.

He had been almost panicking when he had been shoved away from the hallway and the door had been locked from him. When Akiteru came to open it for him again, he was almost panicking as he wasn’t sure where Tadashi was anymore.

But he didn’t expect to feel something pull his pant sleeve and to see _Yachi_ just as panicked as him. He wasn’t sure what Yachi had been trying to say, but when she pointed back to the door and Kei saw the other borrower barely hanging onto the handle, he leapt as fast as he could and caught Tadashi from falling.

And now, he finally let himself calm down as he made sure there were no one else in the bathroom and pulled the bag open again.

“Are you two okay?” He saw both borrowers look at him from the bag, smiling at him as Tadashi gave him a thumbs-up.

“That was a pretty perfect timing.” He laughed. “But I think we should just go home and get some rest now, right Yachi?”

Kei looked at the relieved girl and still couldn’t believe Tadashi had actually found her. He had so many questions, but they could wait for later as he really wanted to end this way-too-stressful morning already.

He pulled the zipper shut again and sang out a quick ‘bye’ to his brother. Kageyama was waiting for him when Kei opened the door back to the store. Kei’s smile had not loosened after finding both borrowers safe, and Kageyama seemed surprised by the shift in mood.

Kei just smirked a bit wider at him. “Mission accomplished.”

They drove back home on Kageyama’s (sister’s) moped and Kei wanted to just go home, slump into his bed and pretend this all had been one bad dream, but then Kageyama spoke after him.

“So, what was all this really about?” Kageyama crossed his arms and looked expectantly at Kei, who tried to slip out of the Kageyama garage.

“Just something I needed from Aki, it’s nothing special.” Kei was surprised how much he didn’t feel like snapping at his teammate. Maybe he _had_ become too soft..

“It must have been _something_ , since I’ve never seen you that.. alarmed, or stressed even. I always try to get you to fire up on the court but so far _I’ve_ never succeeded.” Kageyama teased back.

Kei was about to just turn his back and tell Kageyama not to worry about it, when his bag on his chest started shuffling against his chest. Before he could do anything, Tadashi had lifted himself up from the bag and Kageyama almost gasped.

“Umm.. Hey!” Tadashi waved cheerfully to the black-haired human. “I think.. I should explain what this was about, since Tsukki is just covering for me anyway.” The borrower rubbed the back of his head.

Kei did not really understand who Tadashi was allowed to tell about borrowers and who not, but since his best friend had revealed himself from his own initiation, Kei just did as he was told and let Tadashi climb to stand on his shoulder.

“This must be really weird, but I’m a borrower, Tadashi. I hope you understand to never tell about this to anyone, you got that?” Tadashi stood tall on his shoulder and probably more confident than Kei had ever seen him, and he saw with his own eyes how much Tadashi must have grown into the fearless and brave boy next to him.

Kageyama just nodded in wonder, pretty much speechless and Kei knew that he could trust Kageyama not to lie.

Tadashi spoke how his friend, Yachi had disappeared and that he and Kei had to find her or she could be lost forever. He also explained how Kei had helped him before too and they’d become friends (Kei smiled proudly at that). He told Kageyama that he thought it was fair to tell him since he had helped them too.

“Umm.. this is very weird, but I’m happy I could help. It seemed really important for Tsukishima too.”

Kei huffed at him, not willing to admit how true the words were.

“I- I would also like to thank all of you.” All three boys turned back to Kei’s bag and Yachi who looked out of it. “This was all for me and I’m so grateful that you came to help.” She smiled too, embarrassed and retreated back to the bag when Tadashi joined her.

Kei was still dreaming about his own bed, as Tadashi kept answering a few questions Kageyama asked of the borrowers.

“So, if there are more.. borrowers like you why haven’t I ever seen them? Are there some in every house?” Kageyama asked eventually.

Kei saw how Tadashi smiled mischievously.

“Well, I’d just keep my eyes open if I were you.”

Kei did as he had promised himself and jumped to his bed at home, after he had first let the two borrowers down onto his desk.

“Hey, Tsukki.” He heard the cheery voice, though he kept his eyes closed. “I’m gonna go with Yachi and get settled back home, but can you come to the attic in the evening? I’d like to see you.”

Kei sighed deeply and lifted his head up from the pillow. He moved to rest his head on his hands on the desk beside the bed, his eyes on the same level as Tadashi’s.

An unexplainable warmth spread through his body as he looked at Tadashi. Everything was finally back to normal, the new normal he had grown to enjoy and love so much.

“That sounds good.” He murmured to his sleeves and smiled as best as his tired face could. Tadashi seemed to realize something similar, how good it felt to be together again as he moved closer to Kei and softly caressed Kei’s forehead with his hand.

Tadashi placed his forehead against his and Kei could’ve laughed from how happy he was but also fall asleep from the comfort of the touch.

He couldn’t really remember moving back to his own bed, but he remember the warm touch on his forehead even after he woke up a few hours later.

It was already well into the afternoon when Kei heard his mother rattling in the kitchen. A door also slammed downstairs as Akiteru arrived back home and put on the tv again.

He and Tadashi had planned to meet late into the evening, so he had plenty of time to just lie on his bed. Though after the stressful morning and his very fulfilling nap, he actually felt too energetic to just chill alone in his room.

He walked to the living room and started watching tv with his brother, who was of course just browsing through several sports channels and landing on a volleyball match. Akiteru teased and wondered about Kei’s behavior in the morning out loud and their mother joined asking what had happened.

Kei kept to his story that he and Kageyama were just going to store in town and he needed to use the bathroom. Though, his mother barely heard anything after the familiar name of their neighbor and kept on about ‘how nice that boy was’ and ‘how she knew they’d get along’. Kei just huffed at their teasing but he stayed on the sofa with Akiteru and listened to his commentary, making fun of him every once in a while.

He went on a jog in the evening and ate dinner with the whole family in one table for once. He couldn’t help feeling happy that all the residents, including the two borrowers, were all home.

His mother and Akiteru went to bed early which usually gave Kei time to sneak some snacks from the kitchen and retreat to his room to watch a movie in peace. But tonight, when the lights of the house were finally turned off and the house was completely silent, Kei climbed carefully to the attic.

He knew that the floor creaked there and moved slowly, though, he could hear the pattering of someone smaller running on the floor.

“Tsukki! Come here!” Tadashi appeared from behind of the boxes and Tsukki followed after him, trying to slide on the floor with his socks rather than stepping on it.

It wasn’t like Kei had never noticed the attic window before, when Tadashi took him closer to the front of their house. He had been to the attic many times and seen the window from the garden, but he had never stopped to admire the view from there, especially like this.

The near-full moon was shining through the slightly open window, painting the floor and Tadashi in silver light as the borrower went to sit in front of the window. Fresh air from outside filled the room and a breeze outside rustled the leaves in the garden.

Their yard and garden looked serene and untouched, and the street abandoned, missing the noise of traffic and people.

“This is my favorite place in the house.” Tadashi said as Kei crossed his legs on the floor next to him. He had no difficulty believing that.

“I didn’t realize you can see the whole yard from here. It’s nice.” Kei spoke quietly, pushing his glasses further on his nose.

Tadashi smiled up at him. “It was quite the day.”

Kei nodded, unsure what he could even say about it. He had gone through so many emotions in so little time- from despair, to frustration, anger and then back to hope and joy.

“I still want to thank you for helping me. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do anything for Yachi without you. I had already lost hope, even if I thought it would never happen to me. Now that I think of it, it was quite embarrassing to panic like that.” Tadashi frowned slightly.

Kei recalled the way Tadashi had looked in the morning when they couldn’t find Yachi. “No, there was nothing wrong with the way you acted. You were scared.” Kei could’ve said so much more, but the air between them felt vulnerable, like the moment could shatter if he spoke too much.

“Yeah, I guess.” Tadashi sounded unsure, but Kei decided to let it go for now. For some reason, he couldn’t get the words he truly wanted to say out of his mouth. A feeling of melancholy was blocking them.

“Is it really fine that you told Kageyama about borrowers? I did like the dumb look on his face, but isn’t that dangerous?” Kei pulled his knees to his chest.

“Nah, I think it’s fine. After I met you I think I’ve gotten better at judging characters and Kageyama was in that way similar to you. He’s a good person.” Tadashi said softly and left the words hang in the air. “Also, Hinata’s been telling me a lot of good about him.”

“Who’s Hinata?” Kei turned to look at the smaller boy and cocked his eyebrow.

“Oh, no one.” Tadashi grinned back at him. “It’s good to be home.” Tadashi uttered breathlessly, just as an after-thought.

Kei whole-heartedly agreed. It was good to have Tadashi home. He just couldn’t say it. Instead, he decided to change topic to the equally important but a hundred times scarier topic: “How was your trip?”

“Ah, it was nice. Scary and hard, too. I got to learn so much new, see so many new things and even met new borrowers.” Kei noticed Tadashi’s hesitation. “I didn’t find our parents, though.”

“Nothing?” Kei whispered, a ball of mixed feelings rising in his chest.

“We got some clues to look further into. It’s not much, but much more than what I’ve ever had or probably would’ve had alone.”

“So.. what are going to do now?” The words almost pained Kei’s throat but he needed to know.

“I.. I think that trip was necessary to find some courage in myself. I needed it to see what the world out there is and what I can do in it. My life has always been just here, this attic and this house but it has never been what I want for my whole life. When I was little I wanted to go on adventures and not to stay still, but to travel. And I finally have the chance I’ve waited for my whole life, I’d finally be capable of doing it but..” Kei waited, holding his breath. “.. I feel I’ve found other things that are just as important in life. Like home, family, friends.. Could I really forget all that and leave?”

Kei didn’t know what to answer, though he knew what he wanted Tadashi to do.

“I don’t know what I should think about it..” Tadashi continued ”..so I can’t make such a big decision yet. But me, Yachi and a few other borrowers will make another trip that’s going to be longer. And I don’t know when we’ll come back.”

“When will you leave?”

“In three weeks. We have to go before the fall starts and brings much more difficulties for us, like rain, cold and dark nights.” He paused for a moment. “Will you still be waiting when we come back?”

Tadashi’s eyes looked so hopeful, shining in the moon light.

And Kei knew he was just going to darken them.

“We are going to move away in 3 months.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for giving you another twist into the story, but I'm so excited for the last two chapters!! What do you think is going to happen?? ;;;)) 
> 
> I wanted to include this bit where Yachi gets lost to have a bit of adventure in the story, very similar to the movie if you can remember :) Tadashi got to face his fears and realize that he was bigger than them. I also wanted Kageyama to help them to build an even better trust between Kei and Kageyama :)
> 
> Though it seems that again, as they finally had found each other again, their lives are taking them to very different paths, even if they'd both like to stay in this moment. I think they both kind of push each other to be better and to try to grasp what they truly want, even if they're starting to realize that it's also taking them further away from each other.
> 
> I don't know what else to say, so hopefully you'll be back to read the final chapters next week! <3 Also comments and kudos are very appreciated :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They fell into a new routine, similar to the one they had had of daily chats and meetings, but now, a lot was left unsaid.   
> The conversations were more distant and left a bittersweet taste in Kei’s mouth as the end date of Tadashi leaving again loomed over every conversation and every interaction.

Kei went back to school a few days later. His holiday had been quite unforgettable and unique, though he had no reason to share that to anyone in school.

Since he knew he had only three months until he’d leave Miyagi, Kei needed to do what was right for once.

On the first day back, he went straight to their volleyball team captain and a bit grudgingly but still genuinely apologizes for the trouble he had caused. The captain promised to let him come to their practice in the afternoon to let the team decide what they thought. During the lunch he found Kageyama too and made sure that the setter was fine with his request to return to the team and sort of, in his own way, apologized for what happened between them for the second time. Mostly his sentences just consisted of “ _I shouldn’t have done it_ ” and _“..or whatever_.”

He gave a similar speech to the whole team that afternoon, including the coach and managers, explaining that he was unfair to them, how he will try to work on it and that volleyball is _not that bad_. Kei realized that he had probably never spoken to so many people on his team, and have them actually listen silently, not bursting into laughter or mocking him.

He also told them that he’ll transfer schools in 3 months and that he wants to give his full effort in the fall tournament that would be his last at Karasuno. It could also be the first he truly _wanted_ to play.

To his surprise, the team took his little speech better than he expected and he received a few pats to his back from the captain and an approving nod from the team’s advisor. The practice continued in the next days like nothing had ever happened, though Kei could notice that some of his teammates tried to make more contact with him now. Finally, letting himself believe that the team wasn’t just making fun of him, he gave these new people a chance. ‘ _New’_ people that he had already played months and months with but had never bothered to listen to what they tried to tell him.

Even he and Kageyama kept getting paired up but now it happened with much less whining and malicious gazes. They started walked back home together after practice, though Kei just called it walking in the same direction.

After Kei had heard from the move from his mother, how she had finally gotten a good, well-paying job in Tokyo, in a much bigger city he had ever lived in (and that Akiteru would finally find himself an apartment and move out) he had first been overcome with desperation once again. He had already messed up the previous transfer to Karasuno and had basically gained nothing here, and now he’d just have to go through it all over again?

But something had changed. He wasn’t exactly the same Kei who had started in Karasuno Middle School 2 years ago and moved into Karasuno High School a year ago. He didn’t look forward to a new start, but he didn’t despise it either. Maybe this time he could try to be a better person, to himself and other around him, the kind that at least one certain creature saw in him.

But he knew he needed to first finish what he had started in Karasuno. And as the days went on, and he started looking forward to the practice and their games a few months away more and more, he felt he could do it. The greetings he now always received from his teammates, how they complimented him and asked him questions and advice in practice.. They even made him wish he could stay a bit longer.

But the one thing that he was the most worried about, it was leaving Tadashi behind.

Their interactions seemed to reduce, and not just because of Kei’s school. It would be an exaggeration to say everything had changed between them, but that’s how it felt to Kei. That he was about to lose _everything_.

They fell into a new routine, similar to the one they had had of daily chats and meetings, Tadashi asking Kei about his school and life, but now, a lot was left unsaid. The conversations were more distant and left a bittersweet taste in Kei’s mouth as the end date of Tadashi leaving again loomed over every conversation and every interaction. They knew their last three weeks together were running out.

And it got so hard and so unbearable to not think about, that Kei thought it just easier to let it slowly die out. He wanted to prepare himself for the eventual blow that was coming, to fade away the feelings that kept bubbling up in the awkward silences and lingering gazes between their conversations. If he could just let their friendship wither and be forgotten, little by little, he wouldn’t have to hurt like this.

And, it seemed that Tadashi thought so too.

They started to miss each other, accidentally at first and purposely the next, and stopped looking for each other. Kei could still tell when Tadashi pattered through the walls of his room, but he didn’t wait for Tadashi to come out like he used to. Sometimes they ‘bumped’ (not literally) to each other in the garden, but even then, their conversations were just awkward changes of pleasantries and greetings.

Ten days went by fast and Kei wondered if they would have felt faster or slower if he had spent them with Tadashi.

Kei enjoyed school (more than maybe ever) and even liked spending more time with his family now, as much as a few weeks could change his opinion. He missed Tadashi, though, and felt lonelier than ever in his own room, which had at once been his safe place to be alone or the happy place where he could see Tadashi.

But knowing that the borrower was safe, healthy and inside their shared home was enough for him. Soon, he wouldn’t have even that.

One night, Kei was torn away from his thoughts by the thunder. He had been doing his homework on his desk, listening to a lo-fi playlist that was interrupted by the lightning and the sound of rain outside. The early-August days were still warm and humid, but such mornings were contrasted with some stormy, thunderous nights.

Kei finally closed his book and prepared for bed, turning his attention from the music in his headphones to the thunder above their house. The streetlights outside gave him enough light to move in the dark room as Kei shut his night lamp on his bedside table.

He pulled back the covers on his bed, but something felt weird. It was the same strange feeling he remembered from months ago, like someone was watching him.

Knowing that the reason could only be one (of two living in the house), Kei turned from his bed and saw Tadashi standing on his windowsill, staring at him. It wasn’t unusual, but surprising, considering that they had barely talked for the past almost two weeks.

The borrower seemed to stiffen as he had been seen, whatever he was doing, but soon relaxed, like he needed to remind himself that Kei was nothing to be feared of.

“T-Tsukki.” He smiled awkwardly, even Kei could see it. Tadashi started walking slowly towards the bed. “It’s a really stormy night tonight.” He turned to look out of the window.

“It is.” Kei sat on his bed, lifting the covers over his thighs. “You don’t like thunder, right?” Kei remembered it was one of the many things he had learned of Tadashi, though now it felt like a betrayal to say it out loud, like revealing a secret he wasn’t supposed to know.

“Yeah, well..” Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t. It’s too dark and scary. And it keeps me up at night.”

“I believe it’s supposed to be dark at night, not just during a storm.” Kei smirked, not knowing where the sudden good mood came from. “Any other topic you want to talk about? Besides the weather?” He continued joking, but Tadashi squirmed like he really did have something to say.

“Umm.. I was wondering if I could sleep with you tonight? It’s just that.. the rain is so much louder and scarier in the attic and you were still awake, so I thought you wouldn’t mind but…”

“You can sleep here.” Kei answered.

Kei didn’t question his friend’s reasons, though this was the first time Tadashi had asked this and they had already seen many stormy nights previously. Incidentally, this _was_ the first stormy night after their connection had faded away, and maybe that was exactly why this kind of night had made Tadashi think of Kei.

“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll crush you? I don’t really roll in my sleep, but I don’t want anything to happen.” Kei talked again, when Tadashi hopped down on the bed and crawled up Kei’s only pillow, ready to settle there, right next to him.

“We can just leave some distance on the pillow. I’m a light sleeper, so I would hopefully wake up _before_ you rolled onto me.” Tadashi smiled happily and it was the brightest light in the whole room at that moment.

That’s how Kei knew that Tadashi was probably stronger than he ever could be.

It was no coincidence that Tadashi had come back now, nor that Kei’s life felt a little bit better again as they fell asleep, still 20 centimeters apart but without the figurative wall that had been separating them for two weeks.

The same pattern repeated itself every night after that. Sometimes Tadashi made up excuses why he wanted to sleep on Kei’s bed and sometimes he just crawled there without saying anything. After the first night, when Kei had indeed almost rolled over Tadashi, Kei had gotten another pillow on his bed where Tadashi slept so that they were sure it wouldn’t happen again. Kei was sure that he was sleeping better during these nights than he had in years.

But after four nights of only seeing each other at night and sharing the same space without much conversation, the well slept nights caught up to Kei and he wasn’t tired when he turned the lamp off and started to wait for the tell-tale sign of deep breaths from next to him.

When that never came, Kei decided to borrow a bit of Tadashi’s courage and spoke.

“Are you awake?”

They ended up talking, chatting, bickering and laughing for hours that night. He listened to Tadashi’s stories and monologues until the rain of the night stopped and only a clear night sky remained.

And maybe not _everything_ had changed.

The fact that their time together was decreasing with every night they fell asleep together, was crashing onto Kei harder this time, though.

They only had a week left together and even if they talked and spend time together at night, it wasn’t enough.

That’s why one night, he made a request.

“Tadashi.” He turned to face the other pillow on his bed and Tadashi lifted his head up from the soft cushion. “Is there something you wanna do, like… before you leave? If there’s something you’ve always wanted to see or visit, I could take you. It could be fun.” He added the last sentence to distract his mind from thinking that this would be their last chance to do anything.

“Really?” Tadashi beamed at him. At least his best friend’s smile seemed to never let up. “Hmm.. let me think.” Tadashi slumped back on his pillow and stared at the ceiling. Kei wasn’t sure how much time had passed as Tadashi spoke again, as he had been staring at the borrower the whole time, trying to press these moments into his memory.

“I’ve always wanted to go to this shrine actually. I thought I’d visit it at some point in my life, but I’d be happier visiting it with you.” Tadashi still kept staring at the ceiling. “It’s an old shrine here in Miyagi, my mother told me. It’s basically abandoned in the woods and overgrown, but my mother has been there when she was a little girl. It’s an ordinary shrine for you, but apparently it was built over ground where an old village of borrowers used to live. After the borrower village became abandoned and we started inhabiting human’s houses, the shrine stayed as a sacred place for us. Do you think we could find it?” Tadashi smiled up at Kei, who had not taken his eyes off of Tadashi.

“There’s nothing we can’t do.” Kei ruffled Tadashi’s hair with his fingers and settled back in bed.

Next Friday, after Kei got home from school early, they went off. A quick googling of abandoned shrine’s in Miyagi gave him a good idea of where they should go and luckily, the destination wasn’t that far.

The sun painted the scenery orange as Kei pulled his old bike from their garage. He preferred walking to school so that he could listen to his headphones more easily, but today, it was the perfect means of transportation for them. Tadashi had been so excited about it, as the borrower was given the best seat in the vehicle, in the little basket attached to the bike’s handlebars.

Kei started pedaling along the streets of his home town, navigating further from the city and to a new neighborhood across fields of rice and farmers working on them. Tadashi jumped up and down in the basket, running from one side to another to see as much of the passing views he could. Another memory Kei never wanted to forget.

Kei found his way to the hill where the shrine was supposed to be in another five minutes. There was a clear path upwards, but otherwise the forest shadowing the hill was thick and the grass overgrown. It looked like people might have come here to hike up the small mountain, but the forest was dead silent and Kei dared to bring Tadashi up to his shoulder.

“Is it here? We’re not even that far from your house.” Tadashi spoke to his ear quietly. Kei nodded to him and started walking up the path. The sun peaked from behind the trees and lit up his steps in golden glow. Soon the path turned into stairs made of stone and they walked through the wooden gate which had lost almost all its paint, indicating the entrance to the shrine. _They were in the right place_ , Kei sighed out of relief. He wanted this to be perfect, something Tadashi would never want to forget.

Kei was swiping off sweat from his forehead when they finally reached the shrine at the top of the hill. A sweater was way too hot for the warm afternoon and bike ride, but a gulp from his water bottle steadied his breath again.

The area was indeed filled with grass and weed, the offering hall and other structures of the shrine worn-out and silent. The top of the trees and the roofs of the hall were revealed to the sunlight as it got more and more red and a passing wind made the wooden structures creak.

Though, it could’ve been any old, run-down shrine, this one seemed magical in some way. Like there was truly a presence of a kami watching them and making the shrine come back to life with the golden streaks of sun and the swaying grass when they had entered it.

Kei didn’t even notice that, when he turned around, he could see almost all the way to his house from the hill and was face to face with the red sun in the horizon. Tadashi moved from his shoulder quickly, and Kei let him down into the ground as Tadashi ran towards the offering hall.

Kei walked around the small yard in front of the hall, finding the dried purification trough and the emptied ema, where once wooden plates with wishes on them could have been placed. There were a few once left, from a few days or hundreds of years ago he wasn’t sure, because the wishes were still the same.

_“Bring my mother good health.”_

_“I wish to get good grades.”_

_“Let my crush know of my feelings.”_

Kei chuckled at the pleads that had been forgotten here. Though, he wished he could have placed his own wish here too where he knew it could stay forever. He just wasn’t sure what he could have wished for.

He walked over to Tadashi, who had climbed onto the railing of the offering hall and stared inside. Kei thought Tadashi was just paying his respects, but before Kei could do the same, he looked inside the shrine and stopped what he was doing.

On the back of the shrine, leaning to the wall were tens of things placed in a neat row, small decorations that were left there. There were dried flowers, leaves, but also small objects, like a spoon, matches and a tool that looked like a spear.

Kei turned to his friend, when he heard a silent sniffling from beside him and saw Tadashi swiping at his eyes with his arms. He wanted to reach out, but he reckoned that Tadashi needed a moment.

“Borrowers have been here.” Tadashi finally said and smiled.

❁❁❁

Tadashi had noticed the items immediately when he arrived to the hall. Borrowers had placed the items there as offerings to their gods, representing all kinds of things from their lives, like hunting, food, nature and family, or so Tadashi concluded.

The place was peaceful around them and Tadashi felt the presence of his people there, guarding the place and welcoming him there. Though, Tadashi wasn’t sure if he should’ve come in the end. He was only reminded even more of the fact that he still had not achieved much in his life and had not honored their way of living with his choices.

_What am I supposed to do,_ he whispered in his mind and wasn’t surprised when the shrine didn’t provide him an answer.

He bowed towards the shrine and clapped his hands, feeling Kei’s eyes on him, until he turned away and slumped to sit on the railing of the offering hall. Kei followed his example, bowing and clapping until he turned to lean on the railing too, both now facing the setting sun.

Tadashi smiled as Kei had imitated him. The past weeks had not gone the way Tadashi expected them to go, but he was just happy to be here, eternally grateful that _Kei_ was the one on his side.

Tadashi had noticed how Kei was clearly shaken up by the news that Tadashi would leave, in addition to moving away and facing his team again. He had tried to stay away from Kei, but as he guessed, he was always pulled back to the boy.

“Thank you for bringing me here.” His voice almost echoed in the silent forest, which felt like it was listening in on them. “I thought I could get some answers here, maybe even some strength for the future but I feel like I’ve been left with even more questions.” Tadashi huffed and shrugged his shoulders.

“I doubt you’d need any more strength.” Kei smirked, but Tadashi wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “And I bet I can answer your questions better than any old spirits could.”

Tadashi laughed until he noticed that Kei was serious and waiting for him to speak again.

“Oh, it’s.. nothing really.” Tadashi’s smile faded little by little. “I just feel.. unsure. I’m finally getting somewhere in life and have a chance to achieve something. Why am I not excited to finally search for my parents? Why am I so.. scared?” Tadashi spoke and the frustration in his mind seeped through his words.

“These are a lot harder to answer than I thought.” Kei smiled at him apologetically and Tadashi didn’t mind at all.

“Sorry.” He laughed. “You know that I would stay if I could? That I don’t actually want to leave and.. not see you?” Tadashi felt he owed Kei to say it out loud.

“That I know. At least, I think I did, because I feel the same way.” Kei watched the sun only dipping lower.

“Yeah. This is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, seriously. Leaving you, I mean. Especially when I’m not sure if it’ll all be in vain.”

Kei hummed at his words. Tadashi hated to choose between his family, a new, certainly exciting life as a traveling borrower and _Kei_ , because he knew what was right to do and what he needed to do. But his heart was telling him the exact opposite.

“What are _you_ going to do then? You’ll leave in just a little over two months. What then?”

Kei contemplated for a moment. “I just want to get better. As a person. I don’t know how or where that will lead me, but it’s the path I want to follow. I mean, I’ll probably just keep playing volleyball in Tokyo, maybe try for a university and get a job and stuff, but that’s just all extra.” He partly joked, but Tadashi was happy to hear it.

“I.. think I have a new dream.” Tadashi spoke. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while and haven’t told anyone about it. I want to find my parents first, but t-this dream is the reason I’m willing to risk everything.” He paused and saw that Kei was now looking at him, his glasses reflecting the red light of the sun.

“I want to help other borrowers. I-I want to be able to travel and look for families that have been separated from each other, or borrowers who have lived alone for years and I want to guide them and bring them together. W-When I say it out loud, it totally sounds like I’m heading out to save the whole borrower population, but that’s not..”

Kei chuckled next to him. “That sounds exactly like you.”

“W-What?” Tadashi blushed. “It’s stupid, right? I mean, I don’t know anything about the outside world a-and I’m not talented or strong like other borrowers, or brave and clever to survive by myself. I’m scared that I’ll fail. That I’m not even brave enough to try.”

“I don’t know who has told you that, but that’s not the Tadashi I know. _My_ Tadashi is the strongest person I’ve ever met. He’s fearless, even when facing new things and always ready to defend others and help them. He’s brave too, I’ve seen him do some pretty sick stuff. Once he flew onto the street with a home-maid paper airplane.” Kei laughed some more. “But I think what I like the most about him is that he has the biggest heart of anyone. So it’s not stupid, I think it sounds just right.”

Tadashi had to physically close his mouth from dropping as he stared at his friend in awe.

“I didn’t know you were capable of compliments, Tsukki.” He laughed after a while.

“Oh, shut up.” Kei huffed at him. “It’s just true.”

“You’re just making this harder than it already is.”

“Good.” Kei sighed and smiled widely, and they stayed silent afterwards, watching the sun dip below the horizon as they finally left and biked back home.

❁❁❁

On Sunday morning Kei woke up at sunrise. He checked the clock and was about to slip back into sleep when he remembered why he had set the alarm clock in the first place.

He and Tadashi had said goodbye the previous night already. Tadashi had explained that he had too much to plan to sleep next to Kei and then it was just.. over. There were no sweet words or bitter tears (not that Kei even wanted those) but it felt too.. quick.

Kei hadn’t felt any different afterwards, like he did not realize the he wouldn’t see Tadashi (most possibly) ever again.

Without asking Tadashi about it, he had set his alarm clock for the morning, determined not to let Tadashi leave without a proper goodbye.

He had never really told Tadashi what the borrower meant to him. He had known the right words for months, but they always seemed to get caught in his throat when he had the chance to say them. Now he realized that they were more powerful said out loud than just shown through his actions. Especially when he could never do enough to properly convey his feelings through just actions.

He tried to sneak into the attic quietly and let his voice carry around the quiet room and call for his friend. When no answer came, he realized he was late.

_Shit_ , he cursed in his head and dashed outside, not even worried about the heavy stumping his feet made in the hallway.

Outside, the sun was just getting up, descending itself over the lands and warming Kei’s bare arms with just a few rays.

He should’ve kept his eyes on the grass level, where he might still be able detect movement from the small creatures, but something else drew his gaze upwards and further into the garden, and a lump rose in his throat, almost making it hard to breathe.

_The sunflowers had bloomed in the night._ The flowers had grown almost as tall as Kei and had finally opened up, directing their bright yellow petals into the direction of their life source.

He walked over to them and caressed the petals in his hands, careful not to ruin the only token he had left of Tadashi and their friendship.

“Tsukki?”

Kei turned to the sound he knew too well. He found himself even more short of breath as Tadashi stood on top of the fence, and the other seemed just as speechless too.

Tadashi’s eyes traveled between the bloomed flowers and Kei’s face, which must have already been blotchy and unshed tears already visible in his eyes.

“You haven’t left yet?” Kei tried to frame the statement as a question and Tadashi smiled at the palpable relief in Kei’s voice.

“No, Yachi and a few other borrowers are just preparing our boat and I was the last, making sure that we got everything.” He smiled. “Why are you here?”

“I-I..” Kei found the words stuck to hid throat once again, almost blushing at his stuttering. “It just wasn’t enough. I couldn’t let you go just like that.” He was definitely blushing now.

“Oh?” Tadashi’s smile seem to have been widen further, like it could never stop.

“I.. wanted to tell you something. What I’ve thought all this time, but never said to you. I don’t want to be unfair anymore.” He tried to keep his eyes on Tadashi, even if it made his cheeks burn with embarrassment and ache. “You’re such a big part of me, Tadashi. You have been the most important thing to me these past months, you’ve taught me so much, changed me and my life, and.. and you’re my best friend. I will never forget about you.”

“Tsukki..”

“No, it’s true. I have already accepted that you’ll be gone and stuff, and it’s just how it is, but still. It will never erase how much you mean to me and how much.. I just care about you. You’ve _saved_ _me_ , Tadashi. And I’m not exaggerating.”

Tadashi was biting down on his cheek, but Kei stood in front of him determined and calm, no trace of the tears that had tried to throw him off a few moments ago. He wanted to be as brave as Tadashi had been, was _going to be._

Kei offered his hand to Tadashi one last time and the borrower threw himself onto it until he was already on Kei’s shoulder and clinging onto Kei’s hair.

“You will forever be my most bestest friend too, Tsukki. I’ll save many more people for you.” He sniffled into the blond hair and whispered the words right to Kei’s ear, in addition to three more that were barely audible. Kei heard them in his heart.

Kei brought his hand to keep Tadashi still on his shoulder as his hair started to get damp where Tadashi was clutching onto it. After a few minutes of silence his friend pulled away and looked at him with red eyes, tear-tracked cheeks and a bright smile.

Tadashi stepped to Kei’s palm and was placed back on the fence. He already turned to look beyond their house, to the street and the houses lining it, the field somewhere on their right where the travel companion were waiting for Tadashi.

“Tsukki, promise me something.” He turned back once more, drawing Kei in with his words. As Kei leaned over his friend, ready to hear what he had to say, Tadashi leaned forward too, connecting their foreheads as Kei’s cheeks started to warm again. “Promise we’ll see each other again.”

“I promise.” Kei didn’t even have to think about it. He just smiled to seal the words. When Tadashi rose on his tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss right at the tip of his nose, he felt the need to smile even wider or to cry uncontrollably.

They didn’t say anything more as Tadashi jumped over the fence, not looking back.

❁❁❁

Tadashi saw the familiar roof of the house from far as he got closer.

The garden wasn’t green anymore, but filled with colors of red, orange and yellow. The vegetables and herbs in the garden had been harvested and the sunflowers had turned brown after the four months Tadashi had been away.

He wasn’t going to stay this time either. He had found a new place to live in, a new purpose in life as Mr. Hinata had trained him to finally be able to travel alone. He came back to the yard through the familiar gap in the fence and walked among the fallen leaves. He was just supposed to get the rest of what he and Yachi had left behind and then return to his new home and his parents waiting there.

Even after the four months, during which Tadashi had met more borrowers than he could count, had found his parents and Yachi had been reunited with hers and both families had settled down in new homes right next to each other, Tadashi hadn’t quite let go of _this_ home.

He was planning to start realizing his dream after this; to leave his parents and Yachi and see even more of the world he still didn’t know much of. He didn’t need this house and its haunting memories anymore as they would only hold him back.

Tadashi climbed the tree up, but to his disappointment the attic window was closed. He had other ways of getting inside, but this had always been his favorite. He saw inside the house from the upper branches of the tree, into the room that used to belong to someone else.

The house was still lively, two young children playing in the nursery room and a loud music coming from inside the house. A new family had settled into the house nicely and the house deserved to have a happy family living in it.

But it wasn’t his family anymore, it wasn’t even his house or home. And it wasn’t Kei’s either.

Even if the memories flooded his mind of the familiar room, he realized that there was nothing left for him here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, okay, don't be alarmed, I have one more chapter !!!! xd
> 
> I mean.. this chapter and the conversations in it are probably one of the favorite things I've ever written :) I wanted to give you more fluff but it turned out quite melancholic imo, but that's why I find it so beautiful too ;)) I knew from the start that I wanted Tadashi to leave and them to be separated, like in the movie, and I really wanted to write a good goodbye scene.
> 
> BUT as I said at the beginning of the fic that they don't have a romantic relationship, but tell me that they don't love each other unconditionally and genuinly, I dare you! I think they're like two halves of a whole, they complete and guide each other, and I hope I conveyed that with their behavior, thoughts and goodbyes :)
> 
> Also, even if Kei's depression and loneliness was just a side plot for me, I really wanted to write how Kei finally felt like he found a place in his volleyball team and started trying more. His and Kageyama's friendship is also something I see way too rarely!! That's why I wanted to really emphasize it in this fic ^^
> 
> I'll see you on Sunday again, and kudos and comments are still very appreciated!! <3 Hopefully you've enjoyed the fic, it hasn't been the most popular of my Tsukiyama fics, but for some reason this is very meaningful for me and I'm so proud of how it has turned out! <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sort of a prologue to the story!
> 
> Enjoy <3

Kei could never forget that summer, not even after 6 years.

The memories seemed fresher again, accompanied with the pain and longing, when he came face-to-face with the house he used to live in.

After leaving Miyagi and Karasuno High School, he had transferred to Nekoma in Tokyo for the one and half years he had left of high school. His mother had enjoyed her new job there too and their new apartment there was just fine for the two of them and Rex to fit in.

Kei had kept his promise to himself and had continued his therapy in Tokyo, while also continuing volleyball in the school’s team and making some of the first friends he actually could say he cared about. He and Kuroo had begun living as roommates when they both were accepted into the same university 4 years ago, though Kei was graduating in just 6 months anyway and had to think what he wanted next of his life. He had thought about moving to live alone in Tokyo, to apply for jobs and maybe search for a local amateur volleyball team to continue his hobby in.

Though all the upcoming changes in his life seemed new and exciting, they also felt even too easy. He had gotten so far with himself and his life, to a direction he would choose all over again if he had to, and it was a safe, typical route. And if he chose it, could he ever return to the more unusual, adventurous life he had lived for just one summer, the route he knew he’d always regret not taking?

Kei had seen his former Karasuno team and Kageyama many times over the years, in tournaments and practice matches, and after all this time, he could admit to himself that he considered Kageyama his close friend and that the weird friendship that had started 6 years ago was something he wanted to keep.

That’s why, when Kei was visiting his brother who had stayed in Miyagi, Kageyama had asked him to hang out and visit his house in the familiar neighborhood.

He should’ve guessed that seeing his old home would bring up so many feelings, but he clearly had overestimated his skill of suppressing them back down.

Kageyama noticed the same thing, which was quite evident from the way Kei kept glancing out of the dining room window at his old house and the clear view of the garden in the yard, already vibrant and full even in Mid-June.

“You getting home sick or something, Tsukishima?” Kageyama laughed at him as he brought the tea kettle to the table.

“No.” Kei rolled his eyes. “I just miss some _one_.”

“Oh, right. You never saw Tadashi again after you left?”

Kei cocked his eyebrow. “I can’t believe you remember his name. You met him once.”

“Well, I’ve heard his name mentioned.. a few times.”

“By who?” Kei was confused, but when Kageyama just shrugged his shoulders, he remembered how he had seen a flash of orange on his arrival to the house.

“Do you know where he is?” Kei continued, trying to keep the interest and desperation out of his voice.

“I don’t.” Kageyama admitted quickly. _It would’ve been too good to be true anyway,_ Kei thought.

He hadn’t seen or heard anything from Tadashi for 6 years, and while he knew it was expected, he had carried a small ounce of hope inside him all these years too. The hope that once he returned, Tadashi would be here too, to fulfill the promise they had made for each other.

He had not returned to Miyagi since the move, the memories and nostalgia just a bit too painful, until now.

“But our neighbors are really nice people. They might let you go to their attic and see if he’s come back there.” Kageyama continued.

“And how would I explain that?” Kei huffed.

“Well, they are quite superstitious. I’ve heard them mention that they’ve seen signs of borrowers in their house before. If you explain that you used to live there, I think they’d let you in.”

The plan actually wasn’t half as bad. He was here now, so the least he could do is check.

He and Kageyama were greeted at the door by the black-haired mother of the family. Kei remembered seeing her on the moving day, though the now-older children were just as annoying and loud as then. She seemed excited when Kei explained that he knew borrowers used to live in their attic and wanted to see if they still were there.

She let the two 24-year-olds inside with delight. The house was different now, maybe even a bit more worn than 6 years ago, but just as lively and warm. Kageyama and the mother stayed downstairs as Kei climbed into the attic.

He called for Tadashi’s name, among the boxes and stuff that didn’t belong to him. He found the small crack in the wall where he had seen Tadashi and Yachi disappear into, but he didn’t hear anything- and he had become an expert at listening to small sounds from inside walls by now. But the attic was as silent as it had been the day they had moved out.

Kei came back downstairs empty-handed, and the two smiled apologetically at him.

“I don’t think borrowers want to be seen.” The mother comforted. “In all the years I’ve lived here, I’ve only seen a few misplaced pieces of food and heard some noises from the walls, so it wouldn’t be your fault for not finding them. I bet they’ll show themselves when they feel like it’s the right time.” She smiled warmly, and Kei couldn’t help agreeing.

Even if Tadashi would be back someday, maybe it wasn’t Kei’s job to find him at all.

Her two children, already 10 and 12-years old now, shared some of their stories when they arrived inside the house. They both were sure that they had seen borrowers inside the house too. Kei and Kageyama listened amusedly, not really admitting or denying their observations even if they knew better.

“And once, I’m sure that I saw this thing fly above my head! It was like a tiny hang glider, but there was someone on it!” One of the children explained with wide eyes.

Kei’s heart clenched in his chest. He couldn’t be sure, but he doubted the children were lying or that anyone else would could have built something similar to Tadashi’s wings. _Was he just too late again?_

The mother bid them farewell from the door of the house a few moments later as Kageyama and Kei walked back to the neighboring house.

“Don’t worry. I bet you’ll meet each other some day again.” Kageyama patted him on the back. Kei nodded to him and managed to give a small smile to his friend.

When the attic had been empty, he had almost lost hope to the negative feelings that had risen in him, almost as strong as the morning Tadashi had left. But he was hopeful; he hadn’t forgotten about Tadashi and he knew Tadashi hadn’t forgotten him either. It would just be at another time, _the right time,_ as the mother had told him.

He’d wait for that time as long as he had to.

Kageyama went inside to help her mother with the dinner, but Kei wanted to stay alone for a while. The fresh air helped to keep his head clear and he couldn’t yet take his eyes off the garden that was blooming on the other side of the fence.

He took a seat under one of the trees on Kageyama’s yard, leaned his head back on the trunk and closed his eyes. If he just imagined Tadashi’s voice in his ear, the comforting presence on his shoulder, it would feel exactly on the summer 6 years ago. The thought made him smile.

The wind suddenly picked up and rustled the leaves above him, but he didn’t want to lose the image so clear in his mind and kept his eyes shut as the warm breeze passed.

He could’ve sworn that he felt something land on his shoulder and heard the rustle of a pair of wings in his ears.

He opened his eyes, before hearing the words.

“You came back.”

And Kei did. He moved back to Miyagi after finishing his studies and looked for a job there. He had saved enough money to make sure that he could buy himself a small house with a beautiful garden and hollow walls.

When he moved in, he always made sure that there was fresh food on the tables for his new roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKEY SO LISTEN: I wanted to leave the story semi open-ended to appreciate the movie it was inspired by 😊 I thought the movie was so sad that I really wanted to give you same kind of a prologue in this chapter though, even if a lot of their stories is left untold imo. Though, if you want to hear what I think has happened to Tadashi in the last 6 years, here’s how I imagined it:
> 
> -Tadashi returned to the Tsukishima house after finding his parents, because he needed to say one last goodbye. He also wanted to visit the Hinata’s but didn’t stay long because he couldn’t.  
> \- Right afterwards, Tadashi started to train and carry out his dream of helping other borrowers, and spent years traveling all over Miyagi looking for signs of borrowers and helped them move to new homes or find their lost families, friends and communities. He loved his life, even if never really settled down anywhere, though he made sure to return to his family whenever he could.  
> -At some point Tadashi started feeling like he had done everything. He had lived his dream and achieved so much, but it didn’t feel the same anymore. That’s when he returned back to his old home. He ended up making himself a home in the same neighborhood, everyday visiting the house or yard of the previous home, basically just waiting.  
> -He still worked and helped borrowers, but never went too far from where he lived. He always needed to return back to that place.  
> Then one day, Kei came back. And finally, the place felt like home again.
> 
> So, I really wanna thank everyone who’s read this fic, given it kudos and especially commented😊 I had so much fun reading them and replying to you!
> 
> This story come to my mind one night, I watched the movie and wrote like 70% in a week. I don’t know why I fell in love with this fic so much, but it’s truly so meaningful to me. I think I put a big part of myself into Tadashi and Kei in this. They both start out kind of alone and lost (I don’t know how many times I’ve talked about this xd ), and I really wanted a story when you finally realize you’re not alone and that you can find someone that really gets you, even if it’s not a predictable or usual friendship. I wanted to give a comforting story about the starts and ends of a special companionship between two very different path of life, and I’m really happy how this turned out! <3
> 
> Truly, thank you for anyone who stumbled upon this! <3


End file.
